Librarians are hosting viral ‘Avoiding AI’ workshops for people who are fed up with Big Tech

Librarians across the United States are drawing unprecedented crowds to workshops titled “Avoiding AI,” where they teach attendees how to disable artificial intelligence features on their smartphones, laptops, and other devices. The sessions, which have gone viral on social media, reflect a growing public backlash against the forced adoption of AI tools by major technology companies.

From Maine to Philadelphia: A grassroots movement takes off

The trend began with Hannah Cyrus, a librarian at the Bangor Public Library in Maine, who developed the workshop after fielding repeated questions from patrons about how to turn off AI features they never asked for. “More and more, I was getting questions about, ‘How do I turn this stuff off? Why is it trying to write my emails for me? Why is it trying to summarize my one-sentence email that I can easily read?’” Cyrus told Bitcoin World. Her first workshop drew 70 attendees — far exceeding the typical dozen for her computer literacy classes — forcing her to cap in-person registration at 30 and offer a Zoom livestream.

Charlie Bailey, a librarian in South Philadelphia, replicated the concept after reading Cyrus’ journal article about the workshop. “I was inspired by the feeling of people’s frustration with AI tools being kind of forced onto them, and feeling like AI tools we didn’t ask for are suddenly everywhere in our lives,” Bailey said. His library’s Instagram post about the event garnered over 2,000 likes and 220 shares — far above the usual engagement. Bailey had to schedule a second session after the first filled up rapidly.

What happens inside an ‘Avoiding AI’ workshop

The hour-long sessions typically begin with an overview of how AI chatbots and consumer AI tools function, including both potential benefits and reasons to opt out. The core of the workshop is a step-by-step walkthrough of disabling AI features across popular platforms and devices, including Apple Intelligence, Google Gemini, and AI-powered search summaries. Attendees follow along on their own phones as the librarian projects instructions onto a screen.

Bailey noted that the workshops also foster a sense of community. Attendees share tips, such as appending “&udm=14” to a Google Search URL to hide AI-generated results — a trick one participant wrote on a whiteboard next to the library’s teen Wi-Fi credentials. “As an information professional, it feels good to see people skeptical of AI,” Bailey said. “It felt really good to see how many people share this feeling.”

Why this matters: Digital literacy and consumer autonomy

The surge in interest highlights a broader tension between technology companies racing to embed AI into everyday products and users who feel their agency is being eroded. “I think the forced adoption of AI on people’s devices might be the straw that’s breaking the camel’s back in some ways,” Cyrus said. “The awareness has been growing for a long time that these products and these companies that make them have an outsized influence over us.”

Attendees at Bailey’s workshop voiced concerns beyond privacy. One participant named Johnny mentioned the environmental impact of data centers, while another, Gabrielle, said she sees AI “shoved down my throat at work” but remains open to AI for medical breakthroughs. The movement is not anti-technology per se, but rather a push for more control and transparency.

Conclusion

The “Avoiding AI” workshop phenomenon — now spreading among librarians nationwide — represents a rare instance of grassroots digital literacy advocacy gaining mainstream traction. As AI integration accelerates across consumer products, the demand for opt-out guidance is likely to grow, positioning librarians as unexpected but trusted guides in the public’s struggle for digital autonomy.

FAQs

Q1: What is an ‘Avoiding AI’ workshop?
A: It is a free public workshop hosted by librarians that teaches attendees how to disable AI features on their devices, including Apple Intelligence, Google Gemini, and AI search summaries. The sessions also explain how AI tools work and why some people choose to avoid them.

Q2: Who started the ‘Avoiding AI’ workshop trend?
A: The concept originated with Hannah Cyrus, a librarian at the Bangor Public Library in Maine, who developed the workshop after patrons repeatedly asked how to turn off AI features. Charlie Bailey in Philadelphia replicated it after reading her journal article.

Q3: Why are these workshops so popular?
A: Many users feel AI features are being forced onto them without consent, and they lack clear instructions for opting out. The workshops provide practical, step-by-step guidance in a trusted community setting, addressing a growing demand for digital autonomy.