Librarians' viral 'Avoiding AI' workshops tap consumer backlash
Library workshops teaching people how AI works — and how to switch it off — are drawing waitlists and viral engagement, a data point on consumer AI fatigue.
Public librarians in the United States are fielding unprecedented demand for workshops that teach people how to reduce AI's presence in their digital lives, TechCrunch reported Saturday. Hannah Cyrus of the Bangor Public Library in Maine originated the format after a journal article she published drew requests from dozens of librarians worldwide; Charlie Bailey, a librarian in South Philadelphia, saw an Instagram post about their session collect more than 2,000 likes and 220 shares — far beyond typical library engagement.
Waitlists where a dozen attendees is normal
The numbers are small in absolute terms but striking against the baseline. Cyrus capped registration at 30 and opened a waitlist, drawing roughly 70 attendees across the first two sessions between in-person and Zoom — where a typical library tech class draws about a dozen. Cyrus noted that no one had ever asked to borrow her Intro to Computers slides; the AI-avoidance materials are being requested constantly.
Literacy first, then the off switch
The hour-long sessions open with a plain-language explanation of how AI chatbots actually work, then walk through disabling features such as Apple Intelligence and Google Gemini across common devices and platforms. Attendees cite frustration with AI being switched on by default, data-privacy worries, and environmental concerns. Organizers are careful to frame the work as digital literacy rather than technophobia — in Cyrus's telling, people want more control, agency, and freedom, not a life without technology.
The story matters as a sentiment signal the industry rarely gets in clean form. AI adoption metrics look strong partly because AI is now bundled into operating systems, search, and productivity suites by default — which makes organic demand hard to read. When a measurable slice of consumers seeks out instruction on turning those features off, it suggests the distribution-led strategy carries a trust cost. For product teams, the practical lesson is blunt: a respected, discoverable off switch is becoming a feature users actively shop for, and regulators watching default-on AI integrations will notice the same demand curve.