The Small AI chapter invites us to rethink AI not as something floating in “the cloud,” but as deeply entangled with land, ecologies, and people — showing how technology can prioritize community value in design and governance.

From artists building their personal AI models to citizen scientists preserving marginalized languages, the chapter highlights the power of small-scale approaches to protecting cultural heritage and supporting ecological resilience.

Challenging the “bigger-is-always-better” mindset, Small AI calls for AI development that prioritizes real-world needs over abstract, infinite scaling — an AI that serves humanity today.