Ep. 27: Why Is AI So Polarizing?
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In this episode I dig into why I think folks have such strong feelings about AI, and why so many seem to have chosen AI as the hill to die on. This conversation looks less at the technology itself and more at what AI has come to represent: forced adoption, corporate overreach, environmental impact, and the broader enshittification of everything. A Quick ChatGPT UpdateReal quick, an update from OpenAI, since this is ChatGPT Curious and I feel somewhat obligated to talk about ChatGPT in some way, shape, or form. From the OpenAI release notes on January 15, 2026: Improved memory for finding details from past chats (Plus & Pro). When ‘Reference Chat History’ is enabled, ChatGPT can now more reliably find specific details from your past chats when you ask. Any past chat used to answer your question now appears as a source so you can open and review the original context. This memory improvement is now available for Plus and Pro users globally. So go search for the things if you need them. Chat should be better at finding them. I’ve always had decent luck with my Chat searches (honestly better than searching Apple Mail – yes, I use Apple Mail), so I’m not in need of a huge improvement, but I won’t complain. The Enshittification of EverythingOn to today’s main topic: Why is AI so polarizing? It really feels to me like some people have dug their heels in and chosen AI as the hill to die on. They absolutely hate it, which they’re fully allowed to, but I wanted to sit with myself and dig into why that might be the case. Yes, I could have asked one of those “haters”, but I actually don’t personally know anyone who truly hates AI. I know folks who are scared of it, but no one who hates it. And also, I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life. So, my first thought is that when folks talk about “AI”, I believe they’re largely referring to LLMs, but, my guess is that they likely don’t even know what an LLM is (and also, there’s way more to AI than just LLMs). Totally fine that they don’t know what an LLM is, but I bring this up because it adds to my argument that people don’t actually hate the technology. They don’t even know what it is. I believe there’s something deeper. So what do I think people actually hate? What are folks really pushing back against, with AI acting as the proxy? The forced enshittification of everything by people and corporations with way too much fucking money. And honestly, I get that. I’m down with that. FYI, the definition of enshittification is as follows: The process by which platforms and products systematically get worse over time as companies shift priorities from users, to creators or business customers, to shareholders. (Macquarie Dictionary even named enshittification Word of the Year in 2023.) Why AI Became the PiñataWhy did AI become the piñata poster child for all things anti-enshittification? Because it’s low-hanging fruit.
Why the Environmental Argument SticksThe environmental tie makes it so easy for people to latch on, especially the water argument. Water is concrete. It’s visual. It’s emotionally sticky. Most people have no idea about baseline data center usage, regional water recycling, or comparative industrial water use like agriculture, textiles, and energy. So the claims feel true even when they’re incomplete or misleading. The environmental focus is actually what prompted this episode. It comes up so much, and I kept asking myself: Why this? Why now? Data centers, as we understand them, have been around since the 1980s. The average person never used the words “data center” before 2025. So why now? Some Context That’s MissingWorth noting,data centers are actually incredibly efficient, largely because of economies of scale: Centralized cooling, power delivery, and hardware utilization. But two things can be true at once.
AI didn’t create data centers, but it’s catching all the smoke. And this is despite the fact that AI makes up only about 5-15% of data center usage. The rest of the data center usage is as follows:
Regarding electricity, before 2024, U.S. data center electricity usage sat around 1–2% for over a decade (2010-2020) because efficiency gains offset growth. The jump to around 4% aligns with hyperscale expansion and AI workloads, which is why energy concerns feel sudden. FWIW, I’m not justifying the usage. I’m not saying we need it. I’ve said before that the U.S., particularly OpenAI, is taking a very American Ford F-150 approach, just pushing for bigger and bigger and bigger, which is completely unnecessary. But the average American doesn’t know any of this. They don’t know that data centers are around 4% of total U.S. electricity usage. They don’t know that AI is only a small slice of what data centers are actually used for. And they don’t need to know, because again, it’s not AI they hate. It’s what it stands for. Where the Pressure Actually BelongsPuhlease let the record show that I’m absolutely not defending these corporations, and what we’re seeing with data centers being built in rural areas is whack. Despite the data deep dive, this episode isn’t about data centers, but to close that loop, I believe that the solution and action item for the havoc they’re wreaking is participatory democracy. Yes, it’s annoying. Yes, you’d think elected officials would know their shit and have your best interest at heart, but we all know that’s not the case. Demands to include when pushing back include: mandatory community review for large data centers, transparent utility impact studies, ratepayer protection clauses, clear cost-allocation rules, and environmental protections. So, yes, I’m saying that in addition to representing the rapid enshittification of everything, AI is also demanding that people now participate in local government meetings to oppose something they never wanted in the first place. Yeah. I get why they hate it. How I Used ChatGPT This WeekEach episode I briefly discuss how I used ChatGPT that week. This week I used ol’ Chatty to help me build some shelves. I asked about screw size and type, different kinds of wood and engineered wood, angles to miter cleats, and understanding load distribution. I did also try to get it to generate a mockup of what the closets would look like with the shelves, but that outcome was meh. Overall, it was super helpful and 12/10 recommend hitting up Chat for your next DIY project. Da Wrap-upDo I think AI deserves pushback, scrutiny, and governance? Absolutely! All I wanted to do in this episode was dive into some of the reasons why I think AI is so polarizing and what I think is actually going on under the hood. No action items. Just observations. I think that’s what curious people do 😉 As always, endlessly appreciative for you and your curiosity. Catch you next Thursday. Maestro out. AI Disclaimer: In the spirit of transparency (if only we could get that from these tech companies), this email was generated with a very solid alley-oop from ChatGPT. I write super detailed outlines for every podcast episode (proof here), and then use ChatGPT to turn those into succinct, readable recaps that I lightly edit to produce these Curious Companions. Could I “write” it all by hand? Sure. Do I want to? Absolutely not. So instead, I let the robot do the work, so I can focus on the stuff that I actually enjoy doing and you get the content delivered to your digital doorstep, no Airpods required. High fives all around. Stay curious. |