Reese Witherspoon is getting a lot of hate for telling women to embrace AI in a viral Instagram reel. Critics, including authors, say it could hurt creative jobs and doesn’t take into account moral issues like stealing copyright.
On April 15, 2026, Reese Witherspoon, an Oscar-winning actress from The Morning Show, posted an Instagram reel asking women to learn how to use AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude. She pointed out that AI is three times more likely to take over women’s jobs than men’s, but they only use it 25% less than men. She said, “We don’t want to be left behind.” Only three of the ten women in her book club used AI, so she said it’s time for the basics to “keep up,” just like kids do.
Writers didn’t like the post, and Roxane Gay said “Oh Reese. Absolutely not” on Threads. Charlene Bagcal, the screenwriter, called it a “scripted ad” and said that AI isn’t necessary and that society can say no to it. Eric Smith and Jennifer Wright, among others, were upset that AI copied their books and asked why Witherspoon, a book club champion, supports it.
Followers talked about how AI hurts the environment by using data centers, stealing copyright, and taking jobs away from creative people. One person said, “I hope you talk about how people steal other people’s work as a fellow creative and author.” Some agreed with her need for speed, but most were more concerned with the negatives than the positives.
