{"id":3491330,"date":"2026-07-25T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/25\/librarians-are-organizing-popular-steering-clear-of-ai-workshops-for-individuals-frustrated-with-big-tech\/"},"modified":"2026-07-25T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T16:00:00","slug":"librarians-are-organizing-popular-steering-clear-of-ai-workshops-for-individuals-frustrated-with-big-tech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/25\/librarians-are-organizing-popular-steering-clear-of-ai-workshops-for-individuals-frustrated-with-big-tech\/","title":{"rendered":"Librarians are organizing popular \u2018Steering Clear of AI\u2019 workshops for individuals frustrated with Big Tech."},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\u201cEveryone’s glued to their phones at my program!\u201d quips Charlie Bailey, a librarian based in South Philadelphia. He has just requested his audience to bring out their phones so he can guide them through the procedure of disabling Apple Intelligence and Gemini.<\/p>\n

Bailey stands at the front of a library classroom designed for kids\u2014the centerpiece is the colorful rug beneath his feet, reminding us that M represents \u201cmoon\u201d and Z signifies \u201czebra.\u201d However, the roughly 20 adults present are not here to learn the alphabet. They are attending a workshop titled Avoiding AI, which in this situation does not imply \u201capple\u201d and \u201cigloo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was motivated by the sense of frustration people have with AI tools being somewhat imposed on them, feeling like AI tools we never requested are suddenly prevalent in our lives,\u201d Bailey shared with TechCrunch.<\/p>\n

Bailey begins the hour-long workshop with a summary of how AI chatbots and other consumer AI tools function, discussing why individuals might choose to employ these products and why some may opt out. He then goes through the most popular tech platforms and devices, providing step-by-step guidance on the projector for disabling specific features.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a librarian, I believe it’s essential to view this as promoting digital literacy and assisting individuals in reclaiming their autonomy regarding the use of AI tools,\u201d Bailey remarked. \u201cIt\u2019s crucial, especially since abstaining from them can often be challenging, and the design seems to encourage their acceptance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlie Bailey hosts an \u201cAvoiding AI\u201d workshop<\/span>Image Credits:<\/strong>TechCrunch<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bailey got inspired to create the Avoiding AI workshop thanks to Hannah Cyrus, a librarian from Maine. He was one of many librarians worldwide who reached out to Cyrus after she released a journal article detailing her own workshop development.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has never happened before with anything I\u2019ve been involved in,\u201d Cyrus recalled to TechCrunch. \u201cNobody has ever been emailing me asking, \u2018Can I have your Intro to Computers slides?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

At the Bangor Public Library, patrons approach Cyrus when they require assistance with any tech-related issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was increasingly receiving inquiries like, \u2018How do I disable this [AI] stuff? Why is it attempting to write my emails? Why does it try to summarize my brief email that I can read easily?\u2019\u201d Cyrus stated. \u201cI decided that given the extensive media buzz surrounding AI products, it\u2019d be a valuable chance to educate people about the fundamentals of what happens when using this technology, and then delve into how to disable it if they choose not to use it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Typically, Cyrus\u2019 classes such as Intro to Computers attract around a dozen participants. However, the demand for her inaugural Avoiding AI workshop was so high that she had to limit registration to 30 individuals, open a waitlist, and stream the workshop on Zoom. Including the livestream, roughly 70 participants attended each of her first two workshops.<\/p>\n

When Bailey followed in Cyrus\u2019 footsteps to host a workshop in Philadelphia, the response was similarly extraordinary. The library\u2019s Instagram announcement regarding the \u201cAvoiding AI\u201d event garnered over 2,000 likes and 220 shares, while most of the library\u2019s posts typically receive only a few dozen likes. He arranged a second session because the first one exceeded capacity.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

\u201cAs an information professional, it feels rewarding to witness a degree of skepticism towards AI,\u201d Bailey remarked. \u201cIt was truly gratifying to observe how many individuals resonate with this sentiment.\u201d<\/p>\n

A feeling of camaraderie pervades the room filled with strangers during the workshop. When Bailey encourages attendees to share their own insights, one participant mentions that appending \u201c&udm=14\u201d to a Google Search can conceal AI results. Bailey jots down the character string on a whiteboard beside the login information for the teen Wi-Fi network.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn today’s world, you have to go through extensive efforts to purchase a home, and in two years, there could be a data center beside yours,\u201d states an attendee named Johnny.<\/p>\n

\u201cI keep having AI thrust upon me in my job, and each time I encounter it, I consider its environmental impact,\u201d adds another attendee, Gabrielle. However, she doesn\u2019t dismiss AI as a technology completely. \u201cI\u2019m not opposed to AI concerning medical advancements.\u201d<\/p>\n

Critics of AI understand that this technology encompasses much more than just chatbots and deepfake applications. Cyrus pointed out the practicality of optical character recognition for digitizing old documents at the library. Yet, for her and participants in her workshops, the anti-AI movement isn\u2019t about a blanket rejection of technology; rather, it\u2019s about advocating for increased control, autonomy, and freedom in how individuals engage with technology.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe that the forced integration of AI into people’s devices could be the tipping point in some respects,\u201d she added. \u201cAwareness has been building for quite some time that these products and the companies behind them exert significant influence over us, and that we\u2019re not utilizing these products in the ways we would prefer.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\n

\u201cEveryone’s glued to their phones at my program!\u201d quips Charlie Bailey, a librarian based in South Philadelphia. He has just requested his audience to bring out their phones so he can guide them through the procedure of disabling Apple Intelligence and Gemini.<\/p>\n

Bailey stands at the front of a library classroom designed for kids\u2014the centerpiece is the colorful rug beneath his feet, reminding us that M represents \u201cmoon\u201d and Z signifies \u201czebra.\u201d However, the roughly 20 adults present are not here to learn the alphabet. They are attending a workshop titled Avoiding AI, which in this situation does not imply \u201capple\u201d and \u201cigloo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was motivated by the sense of frustration people have with AI tools being somewhat imposed on them, feeling like AI tools we never requested are suddenly prevalent in our lives,\u201d Bailey shared with TechCrunch.<\/p>\n

Bailey begins the hour-long workshop with a summary of how AI chatbots and other consumer AI tools function, discussing why individuals might choose to employ these products and why some may opt out. He then goes through the most popular tech platforms and devices, providing step-by-step guidance on the projector for disabling specific features.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a librarian, I believe it’s essential to view this as promoting digital literacy and assisting individuals in reclaiming their autonomy regarding the use of AI tools,\u201d Bailey remarked. \u201cIt\u2019s crucial, especially since abstaining from them can often be challenging, and the design seems to encourage their acceptance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlie Bailey hosts an \u201cAvoiding AI\u201d workshop<\/span>Image Credits:<\/strong>TechCrunch<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bailey got inspired to create the Avoiding AI workshop thanks to Hannah Cyrus, a librarian from Maine. He was one of many librarians worldwide who reached out to Cyrus after she released a journal article detailing her own workshop development.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has never happened before with anything I\u2019ve been involved in,\u201d Cyrus recalled to TechCrunch. \u201cNobody has ever been emailing me asking, \u2018Can I have your Intro to Computers slides?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

At the Bangor Public Library, patrons approach Cyrus when they require assistance with any tech-related issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was increasingly receiving inquiries like, \u2018How do I disable this [AI] stuff? Why is it attempting to write my emails? Why does it try to summarize my brief email that I can read easily?\u2019\u201d Cyrus stated. \u201cI decided that given the extensive media buzz surrounding AI products, it\u2019d be a valuable chance to educate people about the fundamentals of what happens when using this technology, and then delve into how to disable it if they choose not to use it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Typically, Cyrus\u2019 classes such as Intro to Computers attract around a dozen participants. However, the demand for her inaugural Avoiding AI workshop was so high that she had to limit registration to 30 individuals, open a waitlist, and stream the workshop on Zoom. Including the livestream, roughly 70 participants attended each of her first two workshops.<\/p>\n

When Bailey followed in Cyrus\u2019 footsteps to host a workshop in Philadelphia, the response was similarly extraordinary. The library\u2019s Instagram announcement regarding the \u201cAvoiding AI\u201d event garnered over 2,000 likes and 220 shares, while most of the library\u2019s posts typically receive only a few dozen likes. He arranged a second session because the first one exceeded capacity.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

\u201cAs an information professional, it feels rewarding to witness a degree of skepticism towards AI,\u201d Bailey remarked. \u201cIt was truly gratifying to observe how many individuals resonate with this sentiment.\u201d<\/p>\n

A feeling of camaraderie pervades the room filled with strangers during the workshop. When Bailey encourages attendees to share their own insights, one participant mentions that appending \u201c&udm=14\u201d to a Google Search can conceal AI results. Bailey jots down the character string on a whiteboard beside the login information for the teen Wi-Fi network.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn today’s world, you have to go through extensive efforts to purchase a home, and in two years, there could be a data center beside yours,\u201d states an attendee named Johnny.<\/p>\n

\u201cI keep having AI thrust upon me in my job, and each time I encounter it, I consider its environmental impact,\u201d adds another attendee, Gabrielle. However, she doesn\u2019t dismiss AI as a technology completely. \u201cI\u2019m not opposed to AI concerning medical advancements.\u201d<\/p>\n

Critics of AI understand that this technology encompasses much more than just chatbots and deepfake applications. Cyrus pointed out the practicality of optical character recognition for digitizing old documents at the library. Yet, for her and participants in her workshops, the anti-AI movement isn\u2019t about a blanket rejection of technology; rather, it\u2019s about advocating for increased control, autonomy, and freedom in how individuals engage with technology.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe that the forced integration of AI into people’s devices could be the tipping point in some respects,\u201d she added. \u201cAwareness has been building for quite some time that these products and the companies behind them exert significant influence over us, and that we\u2019re not utilizing these products in the ways we would prefer.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3491331,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3491330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3491330"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3491330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3491330\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3491331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3491330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3491330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3491330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}