This chapter serves as a primer for understanding the sweeping implications of generative AI (GenAI). It begins by establishing a clear terminological foundation, distinguishing modern GenAI from its predecessors, good old-fashioned AI (GOFAI) and machine learning. While GOFAI and machine learning solved complex, specific problems, GenAI’s ability to generate novel outputs, coupled with its cheap, scalable, and versatile nature, has rapidly woven it into the fabric of society. The text emphasizes that for every potential beneficial use, there are equally foreseeable harms, such as the spread of deepfakes and the weaponization of biases. The chapter argues that GenAI is not a neutral tool and that its deployment is often driven by corporate interests that externalize risks onto society. To foster a more informed public discourse, the chapter introduces Neil Postman’s seven questions for evaluating new technology, urging readers to move from being passive subjects to active participants in the democratic oversight of GenAI’s development.