Statement Against AI

Sydney is firmly against the use of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Ney refuse to use gen-AI for the creation of anything — for the writing of nir books, blogs or open letters, the posts ney create on social media, nir workshops or keynotes, nir academic research, and anything else. Sydney condemns the use of gen-AI for anything, whether images, graphics, tables, captions, or writing. Nothing created or shared by Sydney will ever involve the use of AI — they are all authentically created by Sydney based on nir lived experience.

(And em dashes are not AI — Sydney just loves em dashes).

There is no use for AI in the creative industry. We as people are inherently creative – people have written literary masterpieces, composed gorgeous symphonies, and created paintings that still provide ample opportunity for discussion and analysis centuries later. This is because the creative arts are inspired from our humanity – our humanity, experience, and lives are what bring the arts to life. Instead, AI steals work from creatives without permission or compensation in order to train its software.

Moreover, AI is deeply harmful for the environment. As someone who is an activist, including on issues of environmental justice, the use of AI would be problematic and go against who I am as a person and activist. AI centres require mass amounts of raw materials, produce excessive electronic waste, and use large amounts of water and energy. Given that we are already seeing intense impacts from climate change, such a deeply harmful environmental impact from AI is concerning, thus making it even more important that AI is not used in any capacity. 

Finally, Sydney expressly prohibits any entity from using any of Sydney’s materials for the purposes of training AI technologies to generate text, including without limitation technologies that are capable of generating works in the same style or genre as this publication. The unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works, and must not be permitted.