On artificial intelligence, creative work, personal responsibility, and where DigiWitch stands.
If you've spent any time on social media lately, particularly in spiritual, metaphysical and witchcraft spaces, you'll probably have noticed that artificial intelligence is becoming a rather contentious subject.
And by contentious, I mean people have FEELINGS about it. Strong ones.
I see posts condemning AI, people refusing to engage with businesses that use it, and some pretty heated conversations about AI-generated artwork, writing and content.
I understand that people have concerns. I really do. But I also think there's a much bigger conversation to be had here, and it's one I'd rather approach with a little more nuance than simply deciding that AI is either the best thing since sliced bread or the absolute downfall of humanity.
So, let's talk about it.
Not to convince you that you should love AI. Not to tell you that your concerns are wrong. But to explain where I stand, how I use it within DigiWitch, and why I think there's an important distinction between using a tool to support your work and handing that tool the responsibility for your life.
First things first: AI is here. Now what?
Like it or loathe it, artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly embedded in everyday life. It's being incorporated into the software we use, the platforms we visit and the services we interact with.
You don't necessarily have to go looking for it. Increasingly, it's simply there.
And honestly, I think some of the most important questions we should be asking are about the companies developing these technologies, the decisions they're making, the resources they're using, the data they're training on, the people whose work may be affected, and the extent to which we're being given a genuine choice about using them.
Those are important conversations. They deserve scrutiny, accountability and proper consideration.
But here's where I struggle.
Why are we directing so much of our anger towards individual creators and small businesses who are using the tools available to them, rather than concentrating that energy on the much larger systems shaping how this technology is developed and deployed?
I'm not suggesting that small businesses should be exempt from criticism. Nor am I suggesting that every use of AI is ethical simply because someone is using it to make a living.
There are legitimate questions around copyright, consent, creative labour, environmental impact and transparency. These concerns don't disappear just because a business is small.
But I do think context matters.
And I think we need to be able to have a conversation about how these tools are being used, rather than treating every use of AI as though it represents the same thing.
A little bit about the reality of running a small business
DigiWitch is my business. I'm self-employed, I'm a woman running a business on my own, and I'm doing it during a cost-of-living crisis.
I don't have a marketing department.
I don't have a graphic designer on the books.
I don't have an illustrator creating bespoke artwork for every digital download, journal, guide or social media post I produce.
I have ideas, knowledge, experience, a computer, a collection of tools, a limited budget and very importantly, limited time.
And, like many small business owners, I have to make decisions about where my money goes.
Would I love to have a budget that allows me to commission independent artists to create beautiful, original illustrations for DigiWitch? Absolutely.
Would I love to work with talented creatives, invest in their work and build those relationships as the business grows? Yes, I would.
That's something I'd genuinely like to work towards over time.
But right now, that isn't financially realistic for me on the scale I'd like to create.
I can either limit what I make to what I can currently afford to commission, or I can explore the tools available to me and find ways to bring more of my ideas to life.
For some projects, that means using AI-generated artwork.
For others, it means using design software, templates, stock resources or other accessible tools.
None of those options automatically makes the finished product good, useful or worthwhile. That's still down to the thought, care and work that goes into creating it.
But I don't believe that not being able to afford a professional illustrator should mean that someone is automatically excluded from creating beautiful things.
Small businesses are often built from whatever we have available to us. We learn, experiment, adapt and make the most of limited resources.
That's not a new phenomenon. AI is simply another part of that conversation.
So, what do I actually use AI for?
I'm going to be completely transparent about this, because I think people deserve to know what they're engaging with.
I use AI as a tool to support my work. I don't use it as a substitute for my own understanding, experience or judgement.
There are several ways I use it within DigiWitch.
1. Artwork and visual design
I use AI tools to help create artwork and imagery for some of my digital products and promotional materials.
This allows me to explore visual ideas and create imagery that I might otherwise be unable to afford to commission.
I recognise that AI-generated artwork raises legitimate ethical questions, particularly around the work used to train AI models and the impact on artists. I'm not dismissing those concerns, and I don't expect everyone to agree with my decision to use these tools.
I will be transparent when AI has been used in my work. I don't want people to have to guess or discover it for themselves.
2. Business planning and brainstorming
Running a business alone means that every role sits with me.
I'm the person developing products, planning content, organising launches, thinking about marketing, reviewing what's working and figuring out what needs to happen next.
AI can be useful for organising thoughts, exploring options, identifying gaps in a plan or helping me think through a business decision.
It doesn't make those decisions for me. I still have to assess the suggestions, decide what's relevant and take responsibility for the choices I make.
Think of it as having a tool available to help me work through a problem, rather than an unquestionable authority handing me the answers.
3. Spelling, grammar and accessibility
I also use AI-assisted tools to check spelling, grammar, sentence structure and clarity.
I want the things I create to be easy to understand and accessible to the people using them.
Sometimes, knowing what I want to say and finding the clearest way to express it are two different things. Having a tool help me spot an awkward sentence or an unclear explanation can be useful.
But the ideas are mine. The knowledge is mine. The understanding behind my work is mine.
I write about subjects I've explored, practices I've developed, and ideas I want to share. I use tools to help me communicate those things clearly.
My work isn't automatically less personal because I use technology to help me polish it.
And no, that doesn't mean I think every piece of AI-generated writing is secretly original human work. I think there's an important difference between generating something wholesale and using a tool to support, edit or refine work you've developed yourself.
That difference matters to me.
Using AI to create a tool is not the same as using AI to live your life
This is probably the part of the conversation I find most interesting, particularly within spiritual spaces.
I see a difference between using AI to help create a digital journal, generate an illustration, organise a business plan or check a piece of writing, and using AI as an authority on your spiritual practice, relationships, identity or life decisions.
For me, those are not interchangeable uses.
I create tarot companions, reflective prompts, seasonal practices and resources designed to encourage people to pause, think, explore their own experiences and develop their own understanding.
The purpose of those resources is to support reflection, not to tell people what to believe or how to live.
I don't want anyone to hand over their judgement to me, either. The same applies to AI.
AI can produce convincing language. It can sound confident. It can offer an answer that feels reassuring or insightful. But sounding convincing doesn't automatically make something true, wise or appropriate for your circumstances. It doesn't have your lived experience. It doesn't know your life in the way you do. It shouldn't be treated as an unquestionable spiritual authority. I'm perfectly comfortable using technology to help me create a resource that someone can use to explore their own thoughts.
I'm much more cautious about the idea of treating a machine-generated response as a definitive answer about who you are, what you should believe, or what you should do with your life.
The tool can support the process. It shouldn't replace the person doing the reflecting.
And honestly, that principle applies to much more than AI. It's why I believe spiritual practices should encourage curiosity, personal responsibility and independent thought, rather than dependence on somebody or something else to tell you what your life means.
Does using AI make my work less authentic?
I think this is where some of the strongest objections arise.
If I use AI-generated artwork in a tarot companion, does that make the companion less meaningful?
If I use a tool to check the grammar in a guide, does that mean the ideas inside it aren't mine?
If I use AI to help me plan a product launch, does that mean I haven't built my own business?
I don't believe the answer to any of those questions is automatically yes.
Authenticity isn't simply about whether every element of something was produced without technological assistance.
It's about honesty, intention, substance and the relationship between the person creating something and the work they're putting into the world.
I could commission a beautiful illustration and create a product with absolutely no thought behind it. I could also use an AI-generated illustration in a carefully considered resource that genuinely helps somebody develop their reflective practice.
The artwork alone doesn't tell you whether the product is worthwhile.
The same applies to writing. A piece of text being written without AI doesn't automatically make it accurate, thoughtful or meaningful. And a piece of writing that has been edited with AI assistance isn't automatically devoid of human insight.
What matters is what has actually gone into the work, how it's been created, whether it's honest about its origins, and whether it delivers what it promises.
I am not claiming that AI-generated art is equivalent to commissioning an independent artist. It isn't the same process, and it doesn't provide the same opportunity to support an individual creative.
But I also don't believe that every product containing AI-generated imagery is therefore empty, dishonest or without value.
There is room for more than one truth here.
I'm not asking everyone to agree with me
Let's be clear about something.
If you don't want AI-generated artwork in your life, that's your choice.
If you don't want to buy products that use AI, that's your choice too.
If you prefer to support businesses that commission independent artists, I completely understand that. It's a perfectly reasonable way to spend your money in line with your values.
You don't owe me your custom, and I don't expect everybody to share my approach.
I'd much rather people make an informed decision about whether DigiWitch aligns with their own values than feel that they have to support me when they aren't comfortable with the way I work.
But I would also ask for that same consideration in return.
You can disagree with my use of AI without assuming that I haven't put thought into my work, that I have no knowledge of the subjects I discuss, or that I'm somehow less deserving of running a business because I cannot currently afford to employ other creatives.
You can decide DigiWitch isn't for you without turning that decision into a personal attack.
And I can respect your decision without having to change my own.
Respect doesn't require agreement.
What about the future?
My position isn't necessarily fixed forever.
As DigiWitch grows, I hope my budget will grow with it. I'd love to be able to commission more artwork, collaborate with independent artists and invest in other creatives whose work fits the brand.
I'd love to have more options available to me than I do right now.
That doesn't mean I'm promising to stop using AI at some arbitrary point in the future. It means I want to build a business that gives me more creative and financial freedom over time.
For now, I'm working with the resources I have.
I'll continue to be transparent about my use of AI, and I'll continue to make decisions about the tools I use as the technology and the conversations around it evolve.
I'm also willing to acknowledge that there are legitimate concerns worth listening to. Being comfortable using AI doesn't mean I have to agree with every way it's developed or implemented.
I can support greater accountability from technology companies. I can care about the future of creative work. I can recognise the importance of independent artists.
And I can still choose to use AI tools in my own small business.
Those positions aren't mutually exclusive.
So, where does that leave DigiWitch?
DigiWitch exists because I want to create things that help people explore their own spirituality, reflect on their lives and develop meaningful practices that work for them.
I want to make resources that are thoughtful, approachable and useful. I want to create beautiful things, share what I've learned and build a community around curiosity, reflection and everyday magic.
I'm doing that as one person, with a limited budget, in the real world.
AI is one of the tools I'm choosing to use along the way.
It doesn't define the entirety of my business, and it doesn't replace the thought and care I put into the resources I create.
I won't pretend I don't use it. I won't claim that AI-generated artwork was hand-painted by an artist. And I won't tell you that every concern about AI is misplaced.
But I also won't apologise for exploring tools that help me build something I care about, simply because some people believe that using AI in any capacity is unacceptable.
You are welcome to disagree with me. You are welcome to make different choices for your own life and business. And you are welcome to decide that DigiWitch isn't for you.
That's absolutely fine.
What I won't do is pretend to hold a position I don't believe in just to make my business more palatable to everybody else.
I'd rather be honest about where I stand and allow you to make your own decision.
Because, ultimately, that's what I want DigiWitch to encourage: thinking for yourself, asking questions, being curious, and making informed choices that reflect your own values.
Even when those choices aren't the same as mine.
And perhaps that's a pretty good place to end a conversation about technology, spirituality and personal responsibility.
You don't have to agree with me. But you should at least know what I actually believe before deciding what you think about it.
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