Will AI Ruin Society?

Spoiler Alert: It Won’t. Every time a new technology shows up, someone loudly declares it's the end of the world as we know it. Lately, that panic has been aimed squarely at AI. “ChatGPT is making people rude!” “It’s replacing programmers, writers, and artists!” “Society won’t survive if we let machines do our thinking!” You’ve probably heard one of those takes, or maybe dropped a few of your own. But here’s the thing: this isn’t new... The wheel made us lazy. Books turned us into loners. Radio destroyed focus. TV made us become zombies. The internet killed print media. Smartphones broke society. Each innovation was met with moral panic, but over time, we didn’t lose our humanity—we redefined it. AI isn’t magic. It’s a tool. And like any powerful tool, it reflects our values, biases, and intentions. Used carelessly, it can certainly cause disruption. Used thoughtfully, it becomes a multiplier for creativity, understanding, and problem-solving. The real threat isn’t AI, it’s how we choose to interact with it. Just like driving didn’t erase walking, AI won’t erase thinking. It just frees us from some of the busywork that distracts us from doing it better. Instead of asking: "Will AI ruin society?" Maybe we should ask: "What kind of society do we want AI to amplify?" Because that's the heart of it. AI doesn’t make people rude. Bad attitudes do. AI doesn’t ruin industries. Business models do. AI doesn’t erase jobs. It changes the type of jobs. So, will AI reshape the world? Yes. Just like the wheel, the printing press, the microchip, and the web. But ruin it? That’s up to us. What do you think? Have you seen AI used in a way that worried you? Or a way that inspired you? Has it changed how you work or create? Let’s discuss.

Apr 30, 2025 - 19:50

Spoiler Alert: It Won’t.

Every time a new technology shows up, someone loudly declares it's the end of the world as we know it. Lately, that panic has been aimed squarely at AI.

“ChatGPT is making people rude!”
“It’s replacing programmers, writers, and artists!”
“Society won’t survive if we let machines do our thinking!”

You’ve probably heard one of those takes, or maybe dropped a few of your own. But here’s the thing: this isn’t new...

The wheel made us lazy.
Books turned us into loners.
Radio destroyed focus.
TV made us become zombies.
The internet killed print media.
Smartphones broke society.

Each innovation was met with moral panic, but over time, we didn’t lose our humanity—we redefined it.

AI isn’t magic. It’s a tool. And like any powerful tool, it reflects our values, biases, and intentions. Used carelessly, it can certainly cause disruption. Used thoughtfully, it becomes a multiplier for creativity, understanding, and problem-solving.

The real threat isn’t AI, it’s how we choose to interact with it. Just like driving didn’t erase walking, AI won’t erase thinking. It just frees us from some of the busywork that distracts us from doing it better.

Instead of asking: