YouTuber Hank Green Is Facing a Fan Revolt Over His AI Use

Alright, so he got addicted to what felt like an easy source of knowledge. Can happen to anyone.

I guess I’m just tired of finding things to be upset about. I’ve lived more than five decades and it’s been outrage after outrage after outrage.

I’m tired, boss.

He’s admitted there was a problem and it got out of hand. If he changes, what’s the huge deal going forward?

We need social safety nets. We need universal health care. We need to kick fascists out of our government. And sure, we need to fix smaller problems, but jesus christ does every last thing have to be drama?

It depends what you define as drama.

I would say this is just about him breaking his community’s trust in him, and people let him know that. So now he’ll need to work to earn it back.

It isn’t really drama, but I can understand why people would feel a bit betrayed when they find out this person, who presents themselves as a science communicator, was heavily using a machine that is well known for hallucinations and spreading misinformation.

Additionally, Hank himself has said he is deeply concerned about the effects of AI on the climate crisis, the consolidation of economic power, and the way it was trained. Him heavily using it can makes it feel as though he doesn’t care about that stuff as much as it initially appeared. And given his community includes a lot of people heavily worried about the climate crisis, consolidation of economic power, and the theft of artists’ work, I think them being angry at him is understandable and expected.

Of course, hopefully he now steps back and reflects on this, and then comes back better. But that couldn’t happen without someone calling him on it first.