There's a lot to hate about AI. But what if there was a mindful way to use it?

"Like any powerful tool, people are going to exploit AI for nefarious means, but that doesn't mean we have to follow suit or acquiesce. It means we have to demand the companies building it are properly regulated and accountable. Now is the time to call for guardrails regarding privacy, environmental impact, and the reach of misinformation."

"I view AI in a similar way to the internet. Yes, the internet unfortunately gave us doomscrolling, data harvesting, clickbait and your uncle's Facebook posts on vaccines. But it also gave us digital maps, podcasts, niche blogs, Wikipedia, video calls and, who can forget, the Guardian app."

"In AI for the People, our new free six-week newsletter course, we look at useful ways to work with AI while staying alert and in control—at work, in the kitchen, at the gym, and beyond. We will do this with guardrails with our four cardinal rules."

AI presents both opportunities and risks similar to the internet's dual nature. While concerns about privacy, misinformation, and job displacement are valid, AI tools can provide genuine benefits when used thoughtfully. The key is demanding corporate accountability and regulation around privacy, environmental impact, and misinformation. Rather than rejecting AI entirely, users should engage with it consciously and critically. A new newsletter course explores practical applications of AI across various life domains—work, cooking, fitness—while maintaining ethical standards and user control. The approach emphasizes using AI as a tool for addressing informational asymmetry and empowering individuals rather than exploiting them.

Read at www.theguardian.com