My previous post about using AI-generated images brought some thoughtful responses from readers. Several people raised concerns about artificial intelligence—its effects on artists and writers, jobs, truth and misinformation, and the resources required to support this rapidly growing technology.

These are concerns I share. I’ve heard the warnings about the potential dangers of AI, including concerns raised by people involved in developing it. Some of them are scary. And with AI already becoming part of our everyday lives, I’ve found myself wondering: What can we do about the problems that come with it?

Clearly, AI is a powerful tool with both benefits and risks. But is it the technology itself that puts us at risk, or does much of the danger lie in how we choose to use it?

As I thought about this, I remembered all the warnings about using spells as a tool in my spiritual practice. When working with something powerful, understanding what you’re doing and the possible consequences matters. Knowledge doesn’t eliminate every risk, but it can help us avoid some of the pitfalls.

AI Has a Place in Our World

AI is already being used in medicine, science, education, accessibility, research, and countless everyday tasks. It can help people accomplish things that might otherwise be difficult or impossible.

At the same time, it can be misused. AI can create convincing images of events that never happened, provide inaccurate information, imitate people’s voices, and make it easier to spread misinformation. Artists and writers have raised legitimate concerns about how their work is used, and many people are understandably worried about the effect AI will have on jobs.

These aren’t reasons for me to reject AI. They are reasons to pay attention to how we use it and to the rules we create around it.

AI Is Part of the Living World, Too

AI may seem to exist somewhere in an invisible digital world, but the technology behind it is very physical. Data centers require land, electricity, water for some cooling systems, and equipment made from the Earth’s resources. As our use of AI grows, those demands can grow with it.

Not every AI system has the same environmental impact, and work is being done to make computing more efficient and use cleaner energy. But that doesn’t remove our responsibility to ask questions.

Where does the energy come from? How much water is being used? How are nearby communities and ecosystems affected? What are technology companies doing to reduce those costs?

If we consider the Earth sacred, those questions belong in our conversations about AI.

How I Choose to Use AI

I use AI, but I also set boundaries around that use. When I use an AI-generated image, it is an illustration—not evidence that something actually happened.

I also don’t want AI replacing my own experiences, beliefs, judgment, or voice. It is a tool I can use, but I remain responsible for what I create and what I put my name behind.

Other people will draw their boundaries differently, including those who choose not to use AI at all. I respect that choice.

Finding a Responsible Path Forward

Learn more about AI. We don’t need to become technology experts. We can learn enough to understand what AI can and cannot do, where its risks lie, and what its environmental and human costs may be.

Share what we learn. Conversations matter. When we help others recognize misleading information, understand environmental concerns, and make informed choices, it can have an effect far beyond our own individual use.

Use our voices. Those who want to become more involved can follow proposed laws and regulations, contact elected representatives, support reasonable safeguards, and encourage technology companies to become more transparent about their use of energy, water, creative works, and personal information.

Individual choices matter, but some problems are simply too large for individuals to solve alone. Protecting our natural resources, creative work, privacy, and access to trustworthy information will also require responsible companies and sensible public policies.

For those of us who follow an Earth-centered spiritual path, perhaps AI presents us with another opportunity to put our beliefs into practice. The digital world isn’t separate from the natural world. The energy, water, minerals, land—and people—that make it possible are all part of the same living world we seek to protect.

AI will continue to change. We can continue learning along with it, asking questions and speaking up when change is needed. I am thankful for all those who share their concerns and point out the hazards, as this gives us the opportunity to adjust our course and make changes.

The path forward is still being created, and each of us has a voice in deciding where it leads.