They’re Listening—And Now They’re Using It
There’s a difference between convenience and consent.
And as of March 28, 2025, Amazon’s deciding for you which one wins.
If you’ve got an Echo device in your home—an Echo Dot, an Echo Show, or any of those Alexa-enabled gadgets you talk to when your hands are covered in fabric fuzz—then I want you to know something:
Everything you say to it is about to be used to train Amazon’s AI.
By default. Without asking you. And with no easy opt-out.
You can read the official stories from WIRED or AP News if you want the nitty gritty, but here’s the quilter-to-quilter version:
For years, I’ve had an Echo Show in my quilt room. Joel won it in a raffle, and I’ll admit it—I got hooked on using it to play my audiobooks and other stuff because it was louder than my phone (and my sewing machine).
But when I found out that every interaction—every command, every question, every bit of small talk with Alexa—will be recorded and sent to Amazon’s servers to train their AI?
Nope. That’s a hard no for me.
Not because I’m anti-AI (obviously). You’ve pre-ordered your copy of Digital Muse. You know I believe in AI as a powerful tool for artists and creatives. I use it every day, and I teach others how to use it responsibly.
But let’s be very clear: AI is neutral. It is neither good nor evil.
The impact AI has on the world depends entirely on how it’s used.
And this kind of data capture—using your voice, your private home moments, your offhand questions as AI training fodder without clearly asking for permission—isn’t how I believe AI should be used.
I don’t want anyone—corporation, platform, or algorithm—making that decision for me in the background while I’m trying to figure out if these batiks clash.
So, I’ll be removing my Echo. Quietly. Without a lot of fanfare. But with conviction.
I share this not to tell you what to do—but to say:
You deserve to know. You deserve to choose. And you deserve to keep your voice yours.
Stay creative.
Stay curious.
Stay in charge.
—Theresa
The AI Quilter