Our relationship with AI

AI Use Policy

We use AI at lbr8.tech. We want to be honest about how and why.

How we use AI

• Self-hosted first. We run open-source models on our own hardware wherever possible. This means no corporate intermediary, no data harvesting, and no engagement optimization.
• Intentional, not default. We don't use AI because it's there. We use it for specific tasks where it adds value — drafting, research, infrastructure automation. We structure our interactions, keep records, and reflect on whether the exchange was worth it.
• Bounded. There are places AI doesn't belong. We don't use it for care, therapy, or anything where the meaning comes from human vulnerability and unpredictability. The line is conscious, not accidental.

What we acknowledge

AI has real costs. The data centers, the supply chains, the water and energy — these are serious harms, and we can't fully audit them. Our self-hosted setup helps, but it doesn't eliminate the problem. We use AI anyway, as a bet that we can build toward something better: local compute, sustainable infrastructure, open-source alternatives that strip out the corporate intermediary.

The choice isn't between "use AI" and "don't use AI." It's between using it on someone else's terms and using it on your own. We choose our own.