Unbothered by the AI Panic

Basically Unbothered: AI, Art, Burnout & the Problem With Doing Everything the Hard Way

What happens when technology becomes another thing women are expected to either master perfectly or feel guilty for using?

This week on Basically Unbothered, Gabi sits down with Julianna Johnson, the woman behind Digital Darling, to talk about AI, technology, creativity, and why the conversation around all of it is a lot more complicated than “AI bad” or “AI good.”

But the conversation doesn't stop at AI.

Gabi and Julianna talk about using technology as a form of self-care, especially for women and small business owners carrying an enormous mental load. They unpack why women are often taught to struggle, why making something easier can feel like cheating, and how automation can create more space for the things that actually matter.

Then, because this is Basically Unbothered, they pivot into pop culture. Ariana Grande's body becomes a conversation about why we are still so obsessed with commenting on other people's bodies, Hollywood casting gets dissected, and Practical Magic 2 enters the chat for a round of Petty or Facts.

Because maybe the real question isn't whether we're using technology.

Maybe it's why we've decided that suffering through everything manually makes us better people.

In this episode:

AI, authors, and the ethics of creative technology

Why AI-generated art and writing are such complicated conversations

Privilege, access, and the indie author community

Technology as self-care for women

Mental load, burnout, and doing everything yourself

Why women feel guilty about making life easier

AI as a tool rather than a replacement for human creativity

Ariana Grande, body commentary, and why everyone's opinion isn't necessary

Hollywood casting and Practical Magic 2

A little Petty or Facts for good measure

Basically, use the damn tool. Or don't. But maybe stop policing everyone else's choices while you're at it.

Find Juliana here.