A small town library teaches elderly how to 'say goodbye to ai'

A small library in North Chatham, New York, has become an unexpected internet sensation after launching a campaign to help residents disable AI features on their devices. The initiative, titled 'Goodbye, AI,' was promoted through a flyer that gained over 8,000 likes and 200 comments on Facebook. The flyer was created by the library's sole full-time staff member, Shia Wirt, who noted the activity was initially meant to address local needs but unexpectedly attracted attention from around the world. Wirt explained that many elderly residents were frustrated by AI features like Gmail's auto-complete, which they found overwhelming. The event, scheduled for next week, will be open to all without prior registration, though Wirt is unsure how many people will attend due to the unexpected popularity of the campaign. The library, which serves about 800 registered readers, regularly offers free technical support and previously held a course on AI for seniors. The idea for 'Goodbye, AI' was inspired by a colleague, Hannah Sears, who advocated for libraries to help people both embrace and reject technology. Sears developed a series of free workshops on disabling AI tools, which attracted more participants than other technology courses. Wirt, who personally prefers older technology, acknowledges the value of AI in some contexts but emphasizes that many seniors are simply overwhelmed by its complexity.