Reese Witherspoon faces criticism after encouraging women to learn AI skills

Reese Witherspoon has faced mixed reactions after encouraging women to adopt artificial intelligence tools, prompting debate about the impact of the technology.

The actor shared a video on April 15 urging greater awareness and use of AI, particularly among women, citing concerns about job security and changing workplace demands. “It’s time to learn about AI,” she said, explaining that many people risk falling behind without basic understanding.

She also highlighted the role of AI in everyday life, stating, “Our kids are all using this every single day,” and encouraging parents to learn alongside them. “I think we should learn the basics together and learn some really good tools that are going to make our everyday lives easier and better,” she added.

In a caption accompanying the video, Witherspoon pointed to data suggesting women’s roles are more vulnerable to automation. “The jobs women hold are 3x more likely to be automated by AI, yet women are using AI at a rate 25% lower than men on average,” she wrote.

However, some followers criticised her remarks, raising concerns about environmental impact and copyright issues. One commenter wrote, “We aren’t using it because of the environmental impact that it has!” while another added, “I hope as a fellow creative and author, you speak about the theft of people’s work. Copyright is a huge issue.” A third said, “From someone that will never have to deal with living near a data center.”

Others supported her message, with some agreeing that greater awareness of AI tools is necessary as technology continues to evolve.