Labeling people "doomers" for raising AI concerns stops us from having necessary conversations.

The doomer label is a defense mechanism that protects us from discomfort, not from actual risk.

Concern about AI's impact isn't pessimism. It's realism about a technology reshaping human connection.

I have been blogging about artificial intelligence's (AI's) potential impact on intimacy for years. When I publish these posts, I risk being labeled an AI doomer. Similarly, I'm aware of this label every time I lecture about AI. An AI doomer is a dismissive term for people concerned about the potential negative consequences of AI. Here's what bothers me most about that criticism. Not that it hurts my feelings (though it does—it's insulting), but because of the impact on us all.

The Doomer Label Shuts Down Necessary Conversations

When we label someone an AI doomer, we're not just disagreeing with their assessment. We're dismissing them as unwise, irrationally negative, and dramatic. In a culture that values positive thinking and optimism, being called a doomer carries real social cost. It suggests you're the problem, not the issue you're raising.

And that's dangerous. Because it discourages honest conversation about real risks at exactly the moment we need those conversations most. Some people who have legitimate concerns will simply stop talking. They'll see what happened to others who........

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