New technologies usually follow the technological adoption life cycle. Innovators and pioneers rush to adopt them, while lagging and skeptics do it much later.
At first glance, it seems that artificial intelligence (AI) follows the same pattern, but a new series of studies suggests that it could take a different course, with significant implications for business, education and society.
This phenomenon has often described as “reluctance to AI.” The typical adoption curve assumes that a person who doubts or is reluctant to adopt a technology will end up doing so. This pattern has been repeated many times: why would IA be different?
However, new research on the causes of this reticence indicates that there are different dynamics that could alter the traditional cycle. For example, a recent study revealed that, although some causes are similar to those of previous technologies, others are exclusive to AI.
In many ways, for those who closely observe the expansion of AI, there could be a better analogy: veganism.
AI veganism
The idea of a “vegan of AI” describes someone who refrains from using AI, in the same way that a vegan refrains from consuming products of animal origin. Generally, the reasons that motivate veganism do not disappear over time. Although they can approach, it’s not simply feeling more comfortable consuming animal products.
Therefore, the analogy is useful in the case of AI. Unlike other technologies, it cannot be assumed that skeptics and lagging will end up adopting it. In fact, many of those who reject AI fit into the typical profile of the pioneers.
The study on Routed Rys focused on university students, one of the first groups to adopt new technologies.
There is also a historical precedent for this analogy. In essence, AI is a set of algorithms. The “algorithmic aversion” is a well -documented phenomenon: people tend to distrust decisions taken by algorithms, even when they have shown that they are more effective.
For example, many prefer appointment advice before those generated by algorithms, although the latter produce better results.
The comparison with veganism allows anticipating other similarities, providing a vision of what could come. In fact, studies show that three of the main motivations of veganism are also reflected in the evasion of AI:
Lee: This is the race for the AI business
Ethical and environmental concerns
A motivation of veganism is the concern for the ethical origin of animal products. Similarly, it has been proven that, when users are aware that many content creators did not give permission for their works to be used in AI training, they tend to avoid it.
These concerns were central to the strikes of the US scriptwriters union (WGA) and the actors union (SAG-AFTRA) in 2023. Both demanded legal protection against unauthorized use of their works by AI companies. Although some creators may be protected by commercial agreements, many models are trained with material from independent or without legal protection.
Another motivation for veganism is the environmental impact of industrial livestock, such as deforestation or methane emissions. In the case of AI, the necessary computer resources are growing exponentially, which raises the demand for electricity and water. In addition, efficiency improvements do not necessarily reduce total consumption, due to the rebound effect: the increase in efficiency stimulates greater use.
A preliminary study showed that, knowing the energy consumption of AI, some users moderate its use. A survey at the University of Cambridge also revealed that the concern for water consumption to cool the servers was a reason why some students decided not to use this technology.
Personal well -being
Another reason for veganism is the concern about the negative effects on health. In parallel, there is the “veganism of AI” based on concerns about personal well -being.
A study by Microsoft Research found that those who trust more in generative AI show less critical thinking. In addition, the 2025 Cambridge University Survey indicated that some students avoid using the fear of becoming lazy.
It is not difficult to imagine that the negative effects of excessive use of AI on mental health drive abstinence, similar to how some avoid animal products for physical health.
How society reacts
Veganism has resulted in an entire industry. Some restaurants offer vegan menus and certain brands specialize in vegan products. Could the same thing happen with AI? It is possible that some companies begin to use the “absence of AI” as a sales argument.
This would be comparable to how companies such as Duckduckgo or Mozilla promote search engines and privacy -centered browsers as a differential value.
In the United States, vegans represent only 4 % of the population, but their persistence has generated a market niche. Time will say if the “veganism of AI” will achieve the same.
*David Joyner is associate dean and associated principal researcher at the Faculty of Computer Science of the Technological Institute of Georgia.
This article was originally published in The Conversation
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