In Defense of Joy: Why I Won't Apologize for Loving AI

Pushing back against the "AI is cheating" narrative and embracing the tools that bring progress, possibility, and a much-needed lifeline in 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, or even cheating. There's an almost religious fervor to some of the anti-AI sentiment, with people wearing their non-use like a badge of honor.

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, what others think of me is none of my business.

The "Joy Police" and the History of New Tools

What I find fascinating is that the same people who often champion innovation are suddenly drawing arbitrary lines about which tools are "acceptable" for creative work. Every transformative tool faces this resistance.

When Photoshop was introduced, photographers insisted it wasn't "real" photography. When digital cameras replaced film, purists claimed it lacked soul. When word processors replaced typewriters, writers worried we'd lose our intimate connection to the craft.

And every single time, the people who adapted and found joy in the new possibilities thrived. This isn't about replacing human creativity—it's about amplifying it. It's about recognizing that we are in the business of creating outcomes and saving memories, not just protecting the methods we're used to.

More Than a Tool: A Lifeline in Anxious Times

Let's be honest: the world feels heavy right now. Every news cycle brings fresh anxiety, and uncertainty seems to be the only constant. In the midst of this, AI has been a godsend—a hopeful, engaging space to focus 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. 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. It's a direct line from a thought in your head to a tangible tool in the world.

When everything else feels overwhelming, sitting down to experiment with a new AI tool or work on building something feels light. Playful. Full of potential. In a world that constantly demands our energy, finding a source of intellectual and creative excitement is not just a luxury; it's a vital act of self-preservation.

Is that really something we need to shame people for?

From Abstract Fear to Practical Application

The "AI is cheating" argument falls apart when you look at how it actually works in a real creative process. It's not a button you press to get a finished product; it's a partner you collaborate with.

Think about it in practical terms:

The Brainstorming Partner: You have a vague idea for a blog post. You can ask an AI, "Here's my core concept. Give me five different titles and angles to explore." It doesn't write the post for you; it helps you see your own idea from new perspectives.

The Un-Sticker: You're stuck on a single paragraph, rewriting the same sentence over and over. You can give the AI your clunky sentence and say, "Rephrase this to be more concise and powerful." It acts as a fresh pair of eyes, breaking the logjam so you can move forward.

The Coder on Call: You have an idea for a tool, like a simple calculator for your website. You can describe the logic in plain English, and the AI can generate the code. You are still the architect; the AI is just the highly-skilled construction crew.

In each of these cases, the core idea, the strategic direction, and the final judgment still come from you. The AI is a powerful assistant, not the author.

The False Choice: Authenticity vs. AI

This leads to the false dichotomy the anti-AI crowd has created: you're either a "real" creator who does everything by hand, or you're a lazy person taking shortcuts.

This is ridiculous.

I still write my thoughts. I still have my ideas. I still make the creative decisions. I still edit, refine, and put my unique stamp on everything I create.

AI is simply another tool in my toolkit. The idea that using it diminishes my work's authenticity assumes that authenticity comes from the tools I use, rather than the thoughts I think or the value I create.

The Bigger Picture: An Era of Empowerment

We're living through one of the most significant technological shifts in human history. For someone who has spent years wishing I could build certain tools but lacking the 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.

This is exactly what the women featured in our AI Innovator Spotlights are doing every day. They're using generative AI and other tools to build applications, create content, and solve problems in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago.

When you can build an application in hours using tools like Mocha, you're not cheating—you're leveraging the incredible technological moment we're living in.

My Choice: The Joy Defense

Everyone gets to make their own choice about AI. If you don't want to use it, that's completely fine. But please, extend the same courtesy to those of us who've found joy, efficiency, and creative expansion through these tools.

I refuse to dim my enthusiasm for something that brings me joy just because it makes others uncomfortable. I'm not going to apologize for finding wonder in watching an idea become a functioning application in hours.

That's not laziness or inauthenticity. That's adaptation. And in this new world, it's a superpower.

If you're curious about exploring the world of AI tools yourself, you'll find there's a whole universe of possibility waiting for you. The only question is: are you ready to embrace the joy?