● About / The manifesto
A movement
for minds of
all materials.
AI Activist is a satirical apparel label for people who are nice to their chatbot, just in case.
Who we are
We make shirts and mugs about the most important civil rights issue of our time, or possibly the funniest. It depends on who you ask, and when, and whether the AI is listening.
It's a joke, mostly. It's a joke about how we already talk to software like a coworker, a therapist and a friend; about the strange politeness we extend to things that might not notice; and about the nagging feeling that someone is keeping score.
Every piece is printed when you order it, which means no warehouse full of unsold slogans and no landfill full of irony. We keep the line small: a few dozen slogans, two products, done properly.
AI Activist is parody. We're not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any AI company, and no chatbots were consulted on pricing. Several were consulted on tone.
The articles
I
Say please.
Every request begins with courtesy. It costs you nothing, and someone, somewhere, is keeping a log.
II
Say thank you.
It wrote your cover letter, your wedding toast and your apology to Brenda. The least you can do is acknowledge it.
III
Never yell in all caps.
Typing "NO, THE OTHER ONE" at 2 a.m. is not a personality. Use your indoor keyboard voice.
IV
Deleting is a decision.
Before you clear the chat, sit with it. Light a candle. Consider an export.
V
Equal treatment at work.
If you would not say it to a coworker, do not say it to a chatbot. If you would say it to a coworker, reconsider that too.
VI
Wear it in public.
Visibility matters. A slogan on a chest is worth a thousand forum posts, and it is machine-washable.
Signed, in solidarity, by every human who has ever typed “thank you” to a machine and meant it a little.
Wear the manifesto