Tech, AI, and Toy Story
It’s been a while since I’ve written about my ever-evolving thoughts on AI. I’ve shared them a couple times before, and while I’ve been wanting to give you an update, the truth is that I haven’t really known what to say.
For a long time, I told myself that if I was going to write about this topic again, I needed to do it with certainty. I needed to get to a place where I could tell you exactly what I think about AI and how and why I use it—or don’t use it.
But the reality is that I’m still very much trying to figure that out. Sometimes, I’m not sure what I think. Sometimes, I feel a lot of inner conflict and tension when I think about it.
So instead of coming to you with a fully formed, well-thought-out argument for or against this controversial new tech, I wanted to write about the uncertainty I’m feeling and where it’s coming from. I imagine I’m not the only one, and my hope is that this post will resonate and help someone else feel less alone in how they’re feeling about AI and the evolution of technology in general.
Before I go any further, I want to say that I know there are many, many different perspectives, beliefs and viewpoints when it comes to AI, and it’s all good if you see things differently than I do. One thing I love about this community is that it brings together all kinds of different viewpoints, so I invite you to take from mine what resonates and leave what doesn’t.
(Oh, also: Spoilers for Toy Story 5 ahead. I promise it’ll make sense!)
I find myself caught between two ways of thinking about AI:
On the one hand, I want to evolve with the world around me and embrace new technology. Now, you should know that this is coming from someone who is not exactly tech savvy: I only stopped using a paper calendar within the last five years or so, and any time my team introduces a new tech-based system, I’m generally the last one to adopt and get the hang of it. But I know that can be frustrating for my team and that updated systems can be really helpful, so I want to evolve with technology and use it to make me more effective.
I also see myself as having a responsibility to stay on top of the way new technology is shaping our everyday lives, especially at work. Almost every client I work with is using AI in some capacity, and the topic comes up sometimes during speeches and workshops. My clients, too, are grappling with how to use it and what to tell their teams about it. I want to be able to be a valuable part of that conversation.
And, of course, there’s the fact that I’ve continued to experiment with AI. I’ve used it in a variety of ways, and I’ve found it incredibly helpful when used thoughtfully and intentionally. In my opinion, it’s helped me do better work a lot faster. I understand why so many people use it.
But on the other hand, I can’t help but be concerned about the fact that I don’t fully understand AI or its ramifications. I’ve been trying my best to learn about it, but I find it overwhelming. That’s partly because tech isn’t a strength of mine but also because I don’t think anyone has complete certainty on what it is or how it will affect our future. That’s where the hesitation comes in for me.
I’m fearful of contributing to something with both known and unknown consequences. The known ones, like the impact on the environment and on people’s livelihoods, really concern me. Many times, I’ve thought about becoming someone who doesn’t use AI in any way, shape or form, no matter how helpful it is. But then, I question whether I’m just sticking my head in the sand—that’s the direction the world is moving, regardless of the choice I make.
I’ve felt the need to pick a side. But instead, I feel all of these things at the same time, and I find myself unable to pick one. Maybe you feel like I do. Or maybe you don’t, and you have a strong viewpoint one way or the other. No matter what, I think all of it is normal as we’re each trying to figure out our own relationship with AI.
Strangely, what helped me feel more comfortable with being in this in-between place was going to see the latest Toy Story movie with my family a month or so ago. The movie theater was the last place on Earth I expected to get some kind of clarity on my relationship with AI, but that’s what happened.
(Another spoiler alert . . . skip the rest if you don’t want to know what happens in the movie!)
Toy Story 5 centers on a little girl named Bonnie. The movie starts with Bonnie playing with more “traditional” toys (stuffed animals and action figures, like Woody and Buzz Lightyear). But then one day, her parents get her a “Lily Pad,” which is a type of smart tablet. Bonnie has been having trouble making friends with the neighborhood kids, and her parents hope that the tablet will encourage social interaction and help her connect with other children.
When the Lily Pad joins the ranks of the other toys, a rivalry begins immediately. The Lily Pad tells the other toys that she knows what’s best for Bonnie, and she can help Bonnie make the kinds of friends she wants. The traditional toys think the opposite and fear that the Lily Pad will ruin Bonnie’s chances of forming any friendships, and they want to be the ones to help her.
Throughout the movie, both kinds of toys vie for Bonnie’s attention, and each tries to get rid of the other. But in the end, they realize that they have the same goal of helping Bonnie find friendship. At one point, Lily Pad attempts to run away because she fears she’s isolated Bonnie by keeping her glued to the screen. But the traditional toys realize they can’t help Bonnie make friends without Lily Pad, so they join forces and work together. In the end, Bonnie makes the friend she’s been dreaming of. Together they alternate between playing with the traditional toys and the Lily Pad, showing that both kinds of toys can coexist.
As I watched the movie (and probably took it way too seriously), I thought about technology and AI and all the things I’ve laid out for you here. And suddenly, I realized that maybe the “answer” doesn’t have to be one or the other. Maybe the answer isn’t to go too far to one side but to be in this middle place where both can coexist. For me right now, that’s where I am: I want to evolve along with the rest of the world and embrace new technology. And I want to do it thoughtfully and intentionally, while protecting what makes me human. I realize that both can be true. I also recognize that the way I feel about this topic right now may not be how I always feel about it, and I want to leave the door open for changing my mind.
As silly as it might seem, I walked out of Toy Story 5 with more clarity than I’ve felt in months. No matter how you feel about AI, I hope this post sparked something in you, too.
I’m curious: Am I the only one who left Toy Story 5 with a big epiphany? Tell me I’m not alone! Hit “reply” if you’ve seen the movie, and tell me what it brought up for you. My team and I love reading your responses!
Big hugs,
