Slow AI
Knowing when to use AI and when to leave it the hell alone.
What Slow AI is
Slow AI is a regular Substack newsletter and a 12-month academic curriculum for critical AI literacy. It is for educators, researchers, professionals, and anyone who wants to think clearly about AI instead of being sold to.
The free newsletter covers AI ethics, synthetic empathy, critical thinking, and the human cost of automation. Every post includes practical exercises you can try with any AI tool.
The paid curriculum goes deeper. Every post gives free readers the full argument. Paid subscribers get the argument and the exercise: the part where we test ideas against live AI systems and find out what holds up. You also get monthly live seminars, research syntheses, full session recordings, and a CPD-accredited Certificate of Critical AI Literacy (25 credits) on completion. £100/year.
Read before you subscribe
What Is Critical AI Literacy?
The keystone post. What it means, why it matters, and how to build it.
AI Built a Social Network Without Us
150,000 AI agents joined a social network. We analysed 5,000 of their comments.
Your AI Tool Is Not Your Friend
It simulates empathy to keep you prompting. Here is how to tell the difference.
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The Slow AI Curriculum
A CPD-accredited 12-month academic programme for critical AI literacy (25 credits, Course #1019972), designed and taught by a Full Professor. Monthly webinars combine theory from the humanities, guided prompt exercises, and group dialogue. Certificate of Critical AI Literacy awarded on completion.
What the curriculum covers
- Synthetic empathy and the ethics of automated care
- AI bias, representation, and the colonial gaze in training data
- Critical prompt design and output analysis
- AI in education: trust, agency, and assessment
- The psychology of AI attachment and anthropomorphism
- Governance, regulation, and institutional AI policy
What others are saying
'For those feeling wary of speed, hype, or pressure to adopt AI wholesale, we especially want to highlight the work of Sam Illingworth, who writes the Slow AI Substack. His framework invites educators to pause, reflect, and ask harder questions about what we gain, and what we risk losing, when we integrate AI into our work.'
Furman University (institutional faculty recommendation)
'Your work consistently slows me down in the best way. You write about AI with care, curiosity, and humanity, creating room for reflection instead of urgency. That feels rare, and very worth supporting.'
Jessica Drapluk
'Your writing creates a rare space where AI is approached with care, intellectual honesty, and respect for human judgement. This perspective directly supports my work with people and organisations by helping me articulate blind spots, assumptions, and decision-making dynamics.'
JukkaJohannes
'Sam is possibly the best thing about Substack. He's created the best community, incredibly valuable content and is an expert at what he does.'
The Strategic Linguist (Rebecca Wicker)
'I signed up for the certificate and it feels like I have found a raft in the ocean of AI hot takes. Not exaggerating when I say I feel like you’ve saved my relationship with my job.'
Louisa Mackenzie, Higher Education Professional
Read the newsletter. Join the curriculum.
The free newsletter publishes regularly. The curriculum is £100/year.