Yes. Your broader point is not that AI is harmless, but that we should engage with the technology on our own terms, understand its real impacts, and use it thoughtfully in the fight for animal and environmental justice rather than rejecting it wholesale.
Well summarised. Whether we like it or not, this technology is changing the world, and it’s enabling those on the other side of these issues to gain a massive advantage. The animal movement can’t afford to get left behind.
I do think that there is a danger of AI that is not full addressed, which is that there is a danger that AI can de-skill people and reduce their confidence in themselves due to becoming too dependent on AI.
The example that you give of using AI to stress-test the strength of your argument and come up with the best counter-arguments is certainly a very good example of where AI can really excel. But a lot of people these days would be asked AI to come up with the original arguments and I think that that has the potential to be very problematic by de-skilling people in terms of their thinking skills and also de-coupling them from the emotions and passion which are a crucial path of what makes their advocacy effective.
Basically, whilst we wouldn't want a situation where all vegans are boycotting AI, nor would it be desirable for there is a be a situation where vegans are over-relying upon AI and losing the ability to express themselves unaided - without AI - with moral force and passion.
100% agree David. I hope you don't mind me sharing my own article but you might find it interesting - it's not just the animal movement, it's the whole environmental and ethical movement that needs to sit up and take notice about the reality of AI.
I'm a vegan advocate and I'm getting ready to launch an AI coaching app for plant-curious people. It's built with AI and it runs on AI. And I'm super proud of it.
I agree with almost everything in this piece, but I'd push Andy's line further. He pulls back from AI as relationship - the chatbot as coach or companion. I get the concern. But I think for our movement specifically, that's exactly where the opportunity is.
And here's what I believe makes it even more powerful: the coach for my app IS AN ANIMAL. Not a human; Peanut is a pig. There's no lecture, no judgment, no whiff of the moral superiority that makes so many people shut down the moment they sense an advocate coming. A pig doesn't judge you for where you are. I just finished beta testing and one of my key findings is that people open up in ways they simply wouldn't with a human - AI or otherwise.
The people we most need to reach aren't reading the literature or watching the documentaries. But they just might talk to a warm, funny and charming pig who meets them where they are and helps them navigate teh social and emotional aspect of eating more plants in a meat-centric world.
If we aren't using AI to help the animals, what the hell are we doing? We are so good at getting in our own way. And guess who gets left holding the bag? The animals. Again.
The clock is ticking and we are currently losing, badly. Scrolling social media right now to advocate for animals? That feed is AI. We're already using it. The question is just whether we're using it for anything that matters.
This is a well balanced and interesting article. I think that energy, water and AI will be the main talking point over the next 10 years. Thinking that you can ignore something that will become, or has already become, ubiquitous is 'head in the sand thinking'. I agree with Andy that sensible engagement, rather than ludite fear has to be the way forward.
Another excellent article. Asking AI where we might be going wrong instead of using it to hammer opponents—100% behind that. Challenging ourselves more and seeking endorsement less: that's how you evolve. And veganism represents one of the most (if not THE most) worthwhile challenges on our beleaguered planet.
Thank you David. This is really informative and balanced.
Great article
Yes. Your broader point is not that AI is harmless, but that we should engage with the technology on our own terms, understand its real impacts, and use it thoughtfully in the fight for animal and environmental justice rather than rejecting it wholesale.
Well summarised. Whether we like it or not, this technology is changing the world, and it’s enabling those on the other side of these issues to gain a massive advantage. The animal movement can’t afford to get left behind.
I do think that there is a danger of AI that is not full addressed, which is that there is a danger that AI can de-skill people and reduce their confidence in themselves due to becoming too dependent on AI.
The example that you give of using AI to stress-test the strength of your argument and come up with the best counter-arguments is certainly a very good example of where AI can really excel. But a lot of people these days would be asked AI to come up with the original arguments and I think that that has the potential to be very problematic by de-skilling people in terms of their thinking skills and also de-coupling them from the emotions and passion which are a crucial path of what makes their advocacy effective.
Basically, whilst we wouldn't want a situation where all vegans are boycotting AI, nor would it be desirable for there is a be a situation where vegans are over-relying upon AI and losing the ability to express themselves unaided - without AI - with moral force and passion.
100% agree David. I hope you don't mind me sharing my own article but you might find it interesting - it's not just the animal movement, it's the whole environmental and ethical movement that needs to sit up and take notice about the reality of AI.
https://www.ethicaldisruption.earth/p/boycott-ai-and-you-hand-it-to-planet
I'm a vegan advocate and I'm getting ready to launch an AI coaching app for plant-curious people. It's built with AI and it runs on AI. And I'm super proud of it.
I agree with almost everything in this piece, but I'd push Andy's line further. He pulls back from AI as relationship - the chatbot as coach or companion. I get the concern. But I think for our movement specifically, that's exactly where the opportunity is.
And here's what I believe makes it even more powerful: the coach for my app IS AN ANIMAL. Not a human; Peanut is a pig. There's no lecture, no judgment, no whiff of the moral superiority that makes so many people shut down the moment they sense an advocate coming. A pig doesn't judge you for where you are. I just finished beta testing and one of my key findings is that people open up in ways they simply wouldn't with a human - AI or otherwise.
The people we most need to reach aren't reading the literature or watching the documentaries. But they just might talk to a warm, funny and charming pig who meets them where they are and helps them navigate teh social and emotional aspect of eating more plants in a meat-centric world.
If we aren't using AI to help the animals, what the hell are we doing? We are so good at getting in our own way. And guess who gets left holding the bag? The animals. Again.
The clock is ticking and we are currently losing, badly. Scrolling social media right now to advocate for animals? That feed is AI. We're already using it. The question is just whether we're using it for anything that matters.
GetYourOinkOn.com
This is a well balanced and interesting article. I think that energy, water and AI will be the main talking point over the next 10 years. Thinking that you can ignore something that will become, or has already become, ubiquitous is 'head in the sand thinking'. I agree with Andy that sensible engagement, rather than ludite fear has to be the way forward.
Another excellent article. Asking AI where we might be going wrong instead of using it to hammer opponents—100% behind that. Challenging ourselves more and seeking endorsement less: that's how you evolve. And veganism represents one of the most (if not THE most) worthwhile challenges on our beleaguered planet.