Comments for Karen Commins

Comment on An AI Dilemma by Karen Commins

Karen Commins — Sat, 09 May 2026 19:24:28 +0000

Hi, Janet! Thanks so much for the note! I alluded to those dangers in the article, but it’s important to speak precisely about them.

I actually didn’t know how much water is lost or about the chemical that can’t be processed in waste treatment plants. These environmental and community impacts are much worse than I knew.

I’m full of admiration for your being such a strong and informed activist! Your information makes the dilemma a no-brainer in choosing not to use generative AI.

Thanks for your help!

Karen

Comment on An AI Dilemma by Janet Metzger

Janet Metzger — Sat, 09 May 2026 19:17:57 +0000

Not to be a Debby Downer, but… Each 6-8 item (list) search on chatgpt uses 500 ml water. Factor that cost into your decisions on AI usage as it relates to data centers. Water (in closed loop systems) used in cooling data centers is lost to the planet as it is mixed with an anti-freeze type chemical and cannot be processed in waste treatment. When it is released or leaked (as it will be) into the environment it poisons ground water. See Louisianna’s Cancer Alley… and what soon may be rural and Black communities in Georgia.
Thanks for posing the question.

Comment on An AI Dilemma by Karen Commins

Karen Commins — Sat, 09 May 2026 17:49:54 +0000

In reply to Dani. Hi, Dani! Thanks for the kind words! Dinogami in the comment above is willing to use assistive AI but refuses to utilize generative AI due to its unethical nature. I'm drawing my line in the sand at the same place. As you, I, and countless others have discovered, assistive AI often is wildly incorrect. I've been astonished to see how much is wrong in a simple transcription from typeset material! Thanks again for sharing your thoughts! Karen

Comment on An AI Dilemma by Karen Commins

Karen Commins — Sat, 09 May 2026 17:44:25 +0000

In reply to Peter Lerman.

Hi, Peter! Thanks so much for the note!

I do have a subscription to Storyblocks. It’s much better for video and audio than graphics, in part because its search isn’t finely tuned.

I also have Camtasia Assets, which uses Shutterstock. Unfortunately, Camtasia doesn’t have access to all of the Shutterstock images, and naturally the ones I want aren’t included.

I’d have to pay for the Shutterstock images. Obviously, I’m trying to avoid that possibility!

I agree about the plastic look of many AI images.

Thanks again, and have a wonderful weekend!

Karen

Comment on An AI Dilemma by Karen Commins

Karen Commins — Sat, 09 May 2026 17:38:42 +0000

In reply to dinogami.

Hi, Dinogami! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughtful summation!

You’ve fortified my objections to generative AI, especially in your penultimate sentence when you asked who is creating the pressure to use an unethical tool and stands to gain from it.

After I published the article, I told my husband that images generated in MS Copilot may look good and save me time and money. However, expediency is not a reason to betray my ethics and integrity.

Your decision to use assistive AI tools but NEVER use generative AI is admirable and encourages me to follow your lead!

Thanks again!

Karen

Comment on An AI Dilemma by Peter Lerman

Peter Lerman — Sat, 09 May 2026 17:21:17 +0000

I am assuming that you are or have been using the ‘royalty free’ image websites. I think they are fine. Plenty of good content.

The AI stuff, to me, looks like AI stuff. Lots of people use it. I don’t care for it. I find much of it has a ‘plastic’ look to it.

I am just one lone voice in the wilderness and I imagine the majority of your audience (any audience) will not really know the difference or care much one way or the other. Perhaps people are just coming to expect it.

Peter

Comment on An AI Dilemma by Dani

Dani — Sat, 09 May 2026 15:28:55 +0000

Fantastic article, Karen. I don’t think there’s a right answer here, although doing due diligence is crucial, like you found with the name pronunciation. I’m using PreRead for my current project and it told me a MC had a southern accent. I ending up reading the book a second time through and found a single reference to the MC being from Chicago, not the south. So yeah, due diligence for the win. You always produce great content, Karen, and we appreciate your insights.

Comment on An AI Dilemma by dinogami

dinogami — Sat, 09 May 2026 14:43:54 +0000

I understand the dilemma. I have made GIGABYTES of PowerPoint presentations for teaching, public lectures, and more, both before and after the advent of AI. And I empathize with the time it takes to track down suitable images and content to use, and sometimes not finding them at all. I have also created from scratch my own graphics, and even animations, to use in such presentations. But personally, I respect the time, effort, and ingenuity of my fellow creatives enough that I will absolutely never, under any circumstances, use generative AI to steal from them to create “new” images or content. And I will save myself the distress at having contributed to generative AI’s environmental impacts. I am positive I’m swimming upstream, just as I long have by recycling, conserving water and electricity, etc. when the majority are doing the opposite. I personally could not care less about keeping up with the Joneses if it comes to submitting to unethical practices while they’re all off being unethical. I don’t believe that a majority opinion or practice automatically makes it the RIGHT opinion or practice. I have to ask myself why I’m feeling pressured to use an unethical tool—who is creating that pressure, and who ultimately stands to gain if I submit to it. Lastly, I’ll say I have no problem using _assistive_ AI (such as Pozotron or Izotope RX use), but I draw the line at _generative_ AI.

Comment on Stop The Comparisons by Karen Commins

Karen Commins — Fri, 01 May 2026 15:19:04 +0000

In reply to Andrea. Hi, Andrea! Thanks for your very kind comments! Inner work takes time and discipline but is worth the payoff! The tactics I described in this article and Change Starts With Your Thoughts and Words have really helped me defeat the Comparison Monster. I now can look at social media without having those deeply negative feelings. As for Margaret Mitchell, I've read books full of her entertaining letters because GWTW is my favorite book and movie! You might enjoy reading my article Finding Your Own Road to Tara, as well as the companion piece I wrote for AudioFile Magazine, A Narrator's Journey on the Road to Tara. Thanks again for the note, and best wishes for your success! Karen

Comment on Stop The Comparisons by Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 23:42:38 +0000

Karen – this is a great article! I have a severe case of comparison-itis so it is helpful to know that someone as proactive and wise as you also suffers from the same kind of “delusions”! Mine is so bad that I rarely look at FB or Instagram for fear of kicking off that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Thank you for sharing this about yourself. It means a lot to know that you struggle also, even though I see you as successful, positive, extremely motivated and generous with your time and talents. And BTW, we both love Margaret Mitchell! Gone with the Wind is my favorite book and movie of all time – I’m going to search your article on her next!