In Defense of Joy & Why I Won't Apologize for Loving AI
A Lifeline During Challenging Times
I've been building with AI for months now, sharing my journey, and having an absolute blast doing it.
And apparently, that makes some people uncomfortable.
I've noticed a particular tone creeping into conversations about AI lately. A kind of moral superiority from people who've decided that using AI is somehow... lesser. Inauthentic.
Cheating.
There's an almost religious fervor to some of the anti-AI sentiment I'm seeing. People wear their non-use of AI like a badge of honor while casting judgment on those of us who've embraced it.
I'm not here to convince anyone to use AI. However, I'm also not going to apologize for loving it.
Brand me with the “AI” Scarlett letter all you want. At this stage of life, to quote Dr. Wayne Dyer, “What you think of me is none of my business.”
The Joy Police Need to Stand Down
Here's what I find fascinating: the same people who champion creativity, innovation, and thinking outside the box are suddenly drawing arbitrary lines about which tools are "acceptable" for creative work.
When Photoshop was introduced, there were photographers who insisted it wasn't "real" photography. When digital cameras replaced film, purists claimed it lacked soul (Side note & fun fact: Did you know that Kodak actually had the technology for digital images in the 70s? But instead of embracing it, they forgot they were in the “saving memories” business and doubled down on the ‘film business.’ That definitely came back to bite them in the arse!).
When word processors replaced typewriters, writers worried we'd lose the intimate connection with our craft.
Every transformative tool faces this resistance. And every time, the people who adapt and find joy in the new possibilities thrive.
And no, I’m not saying that those who don’t embrace it can’t or don’t thrive.
I've watched AI help me build applications I never could have created before. I've seen it help me explore ideas more quickly, iterate faster, and turn concepts into reality in ways that would have been impossible just two years ago.
This isn't about replacing human creativity—it's about amplifying it.
A Lifeline During Dark Times
Want to know the truth? AI has been a godsend during these incredibly challenging times we're living through.
While the world feels like it's spinning out of control, while every news cycle brings fresh anxiety (enough with the “BREAKING!” news updates already), while uncertainty seems to be the only constant, AI has given me something hopeful to focus on and get lost in.
Building with AI feels like possibility.
It feels like the future.
It feels like there are still amazing things being created in this world.
It feels like we can finally bypass all the traditional gatekeepers—the venture capitalists, the pitch decks, the endless meetings with investors who don't understand your vision (Not that I’ve ever tried that, but one can imagine).
For the first time, you can go from idea to launch without asking permission from anyone, without needing a team of developers or a war chest of funding.
Just you, your idea, and the tools to bring it to life.
When everything else feels heavy, sitting down to experiment with a new AI tool or work on building something feels light. Playful. Full of potential.
Is that really something we need to shame people for?
The False Choice Fallacy
The anti-AI crowd seems to have created this false dichotomy: you're either a "real" creator who does everything by hand, or you're a lazy person taking shortcuts with AI.
This is ridiculous.
I still write my thoughts.
I still have my ideas.
I still make creative decisions.
I still edit, refine, and put my stamp on everything I create.
AI is simply another tool in my toolkit. Just like my camera, my computer, my design software, or my voice recorder.
The idea that using AI somehow diminishes the authenticity of my work assumes that authenticity comes from the tools I use rather than the thoughts I think, the problems I solve, or the value I create.
The Bigger Picture
Here's what I think the 30,000-foot view looks like:
We're living through one of the most significant technological shifts in human history. This isn't just about better autocomplete or fancy chatbots. We're talking about tools that can democratize creation, automate tedious tasks, and give individuals the power to build things that previously required entire teams.
For someone like me, a midlife entrepreneur who has spent years wishing I could build certain tools but lacking the necessary technical skills, AI represents freedom.
The freedom to create solutions. The freedom to test ideas quickly. The freedom to focus on strategy and vision while AI handles the implementation details, I was never good at anyway.
This is empowering, not diminishing.
Choose Your Hard
Everyone gets to make their own choice about AI.
Don't want to use it? That's completely fine. Build your business, create your art, write your words exactly the way you want to.
I respect that choice.
But please, extend the same courtesy to those of us who've found joy, efficiency, and creative expansion through AI.
Some of us have chosen to lean into this technology because it lights us up. 🔥
Because it solves problems we've had for years. Because it makes the impossible feel possible again.
That's not laziness. That's not inauthenticity. That's adaptation.
The Joy Defense
I refuse to dim my enthusiasm for something that brings me joy just because it makes other people feel pissy, self-righteous uncomfortable.
I'm not going to apologize for finding wonder in watching an idea become a functioning application in hours, rather than months.
I'm not going to feel guilty for using tools that help me create faster, test quicker, and iterate more efficiently… which allows me my afternoons in the pool to float and read a novel.
And I'm certainly not going to let anyone convince me that my choice to embrace AI makes me less creative, less authentic, or less valuable as a creator.
The world has enough judgment, negativity, and reasons to make us feel small.
If AI brings you joy, if it opens up possibilities, if it helps you create things that matter, embrace it fully.
No apologies necessary.
Noteworthy 🔥
Holy moly! My friend
shared this tool with me and…wow! This is the complement to your vibe coding tool, you didn’t know you needed.Visually design what you want with pre-built components and layouts, edit in real-time (fonts, colors, shadows, etc.), and then generate the correct prompt to give to your tool of choice (mine is Lovable).
You can check out Aura.build here, but the video Lee shared with me gives you a much better idea of the power of this tool.
A Little Brainpower 🧠
Thinking about advertising? Here’s “How to Advertise Your Business with a $500 Budget.”
Not getting the video views you want? “Why Most Videos Get Ignored. And how to fix yours in under five minutes” from
.We’ve all had one of those days. Here’s “Why your "off" days are teaching you more than your perfect ones,” by
.Tool Time 🛠️
AI Video: Convert text prompts & images into video. I’ve made an avatar (of myself). It’s wild! More on that later. Check out HeyGen here.
Agentic AI: This tool makes it easy to connect your AI app to thousands of tools with one line of code. It’s perfect for building smart automations without the tech mess. Use ToolSDK.ai here.
Build AI Apps: Google just dropped Opal, a no‑code platform that lets you build mini AI apps from simple prompts and a visual editor—no coding needed. Go from idea to shareable app in minutes. Try Google Opal free here.
YouTube: YouTube Shorts just got a glow-up with new AI tools that turn your photos into videos, add effects to doodles, and sync clips to music. It’s like having a mini editor in your pocket. Check it out here.
Yum! 😋
As we head into August tomorrow and summer starts winding down, it’s a great reminder that life is too short.
Don’t dim your enthusiasm for something that genuinely lights you up. Whether it's AI, watercolor painting, or finally learning to trust your gut over the latest marketing guru, joy is not a luxury.
And right now, in a world that often feels heavy and uncertain, following that joy feels like the most radical act of all. So here's to building with AI, sharing our excitement without apology, and remembering that the best innovations often come from people who dared to play.
Have a wonderful day!
With coffee & kindness,
Kim