Reclaiming Digital Autonomy
Librarians are stepping up to address growing public frustration with forced AI adoption. Charlie Bailey, a librarian in South Philadelphia, hosts an "Avoiding AI" workshop where he guides adults through step-by-step instructions for disabling features like Apple Intelligence and Gemini. Bailey views this as a critical component of digital literacy, helping people reclaim autonomy over whether they want to use AI tools.
A Grassroots Movement in Libraries
The movement gained traction after Hannah Cyrus, a librarian in Maine, published her own workshop materials. Cyrus noticed patrons increasingly asking how to stop AI from summarizing simple emails or writing on their behalf. Her first workshop drew about 70 attendees, including a Zoom livestream, far exceeding the typical dozen participants for introductory computer classes. Bailey's subsequent event in Philadelphia garnered over 2,000 likes on social media, prompting a second session.
Advocating for Choice, Not Rejection
Attendees share a sense of camaraderie, exchanging tips like appending specific parameters to Google searches to hide AI results. The anti-AI movement in these libraries is not about rejecting technology entirely. Participants acknowledge the utility of tools like optical character recognition but advocate for more control, agency, and freedom in how technology is deployed on their personal devices.