Readers share mixed feelings on generative AI

• We got many passionate responses — so many that we couldn't include them all — but here are a few that represented the spectrum of opinion.

What they're saying: Revel L. steers clear of generative AI for moral reasons.

• "Thanks to the ethical issues with stolen content, the detriment to the planet, the costs to everyone in energy, the toll it takes on the brain, and the amount of time that it's absolutely dangerously wrong, I do not and will not use generative AI," they wrote. "I'm honestly boggled that anyone uses it."

Francie K. uses AI for "research and ideation" but recognizes it has strengths and weaknesses.

• "I don't care for it for copy (writing), as I feel that it's poor output and I can do that quickly on my own," she said. "What I do like it for is synthesizing information and running ideas through."

Judy B. said her feelings could best be summed up as "uneasy."

• "I worry about my grandchildren learning to use it effectively," she wrote. "I also worry about the safety of the various platforms. I do not feel AI companies or the government are providing enough clear simple training."

Thom P. is an online coach and said he is "100% aware that AI can do, and does do, my job," but it can't replicate the human connection that matters most.

• His bigger concerns, though, are environmental, specifically with the amount of water needed by data centers.
• "There are no economic long-term benefits that will replace a glass of fresh water for a parched farm worker or their livestock in the middle of a summer of drought and fire," he said.

The other side: Aaron C., a writer and marketing executive, said he's leaned into AI and tried to guide his colleagues toward embracing the new technology.

• "As a Gen-x professional, I want to stay relevant in and beyond my field, but also be nimble in case there are job cuts and industry shifts," he told Axios.

Matt C., who runs a digital marketing agency, said he uses "Claude Code, ChatGPT, and Gemini for everything from creative, copy and coding to translations, contracts, and proofreading."

• "Integrating AI into our workflow has allowed us to reduce our production timelines by seven days," he wrote.
• His clients haven't seen a drop in quality "and have actually begun sending us more work as a result."
• His team has stayed the same size, though he no longer uses freelancers, which saves him time managing payments and schedules.

Nancy P. said she uses AI "all the time for personal research (since I am retired)! It is fabulous for planning trips, researching all sorts of topics!"

Similarly, Tina L. finds the technology to be an invaluable travel tool, recently using it to plan a trip to Yosemite.

• "It gave me step by step instructions of what to see, how much time it will take to hike or bike and drive. Also, if I need a permit or not and on and on. I love it!"

What you're watching: Gerald D. said the use of AI comes down to a few important questions.

• Does the technology "make the labor of all workers easier and more productive for the benefit of all in society?" he wrote.
• "Or do we use the increases to make owners wealthier?"

"3% of us are owners and the remaining 97% work for the benefit of the owners," he continued. "Come to your own conclusion."