Librarians Draw 70 People to 'Avoiding AI' Workshops as Users Push Back on Forced Features
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 25
Librarians Draw 70 People to 'Avoiding AI' Workshops as Users Push Back on Forced Features
1 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 25
Summary
Bangor and Philadelphia librarians are drawing unusually large crowds to workshops that teach adults how to disable Apple Intelligence, Gemini and other built-in AI tools.
Hannah Cyrus and Charlie Bailey said demand came from patrons frustrated that email drafting, summaries and search AI were appearing on devices and platforms without being clearly requested.
70 people attended each of Cyrus' first two sessions including Zoom viewers, while Bailey added a second Philadelphia event after registrations surged and the library's Instagram post drew more than 2,000 likes.
The classes frame AI avoidance as digital literacy rather than blanket rejection, walking attendees through how the tools work before showing step-by-step how to turn specific features off.
Attendees tied their resistance to privacy, autonomy and environmental concerns, reflecting a broader backlash against tech companies' growing influence over how people use everyday devices.