:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/reese-witherspoon-01-041726-8ac1e6be56a946b191939603fae6ad5a.jpg "Reese Witherspoon tells women to 'do better' and 'learn more' about AI: 'We don't want to be left...")
The Oscar winner — and author of five books — doubled down on Friday after sparking controversy with her encouragement of AI. Reese Witherspoon tells women to 'do better' and 'learn more' about AI: 'We don't want to be left behind' The Oscar winner — and author of five books — doubled down on Friday after sparking controversy with her encouragement of AI. By Kathleen Perricone April 17, 2026 3:08 p.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/reesewitherspoon010417268ac1e6be56a946b191939603fae6ad5a.jpg) Reese Witherspoon in February 2026.
The Oscar winner — and author of five books — doubled down on Friday after sparking controversy with her encouragement of AI.
Reese Witherspoon tells women to 'do better' and 'learn more' about AI: 'We don't want to be left behind'
The Oscar winner — and author of five books — doubled down on Friday after sparking controversy with her encouragement of AI.
By Kathleen Perricone
April 17, 2026 3:08 p.m. ET
Leave a Comment
Reese Witherspoon in February 2026. Credit:
Frazer Harrison/WireImage
- Reese Witherspoon sparked controversy this week with an Instagram video encouraging women to "keep up" with AI.
- The actress and author said she was shocked to learn seven out of the 10 women in her book group didn't use artificial intelligence.
- She doubled down with a series of Instagram Stories, including one claiming women who don't use AI at work "get less credit."
While some of the biggest stars in Hollywood are condemning the use of AI, Reese Witherspoon is actually pushing people to use it more, particularly women.
The *Morning Show* actress took to her Instagram account on Wednesday to share a Story with her 30 million followers. As she made a smoothie, she recounted her book club get-together the previous day and that she was shocked to learn that of the 10 women in attendance, only three used AI.
By her calculations, “that means 70 percent of that group is not keeping up,” said Witherspoon, author of five books including the 2025 suspense novel *Gone Before Goodbye*.
“The thing I’ve learned about technology is if you don’t get a little bit of understanding from the very beginning, it just speeds past you,” she continued. “So you have to have little bits of learning just to keep up.”
Witherspoon, who has three children, told her followers, “Let’s get real, our kids are using this every single day.” So she suggested “we learn the basics together” and discover AI tools that will “make our everyday lives easier and better.”
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The actress concluded the video by asking if she should share what she has learned about AI — which stands for artificial intelligence — with her luddite followers. “It’s time, people,” she said.
She shared another staggering statistic about the “AI revolution” in the video’s caption: “The jobs women hold are 3x more likely to be automated by AI, yet women are using AI at a rate 25% lower than men on average. We don’t want to be left behind.”
Witherspoon’s video sparked controversy, both in her comments section and the media, as the polarizing topic ruffled feathers.
Many of the most-liked replies warned of AI’s impact on the environment and children’s intellect, while others criticized Witherspoon’s “feminist” take. As one commenter put it: “Personally, I’m extremely proud of 7 out of 10 women.”
On Friday morning, the actress doubled down by making good on her promise to share more about AI. She posted a series of Instagram Stories, beginning with a Reel from a PhD candidate at Harvard and self-professed AI expert who praised Witherspoon for encouraging women to learn more.
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AI info posted by Reese Witherspoon.
Reese Witherspoon/Instagram
Next, for the “hesitant folks,” she cut and pasted three clips, including one from an unnamed source that suggested opting out of generative AI is no different than “opting out of electricity or the Internet.”
Another image cited research conducted by the University of California, Berkeley claiming women who don't use AI are "at risk for lost productivity and innovation."
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AI poll on Reese Witherspoon's Instagram Stories.
Reese Witherspoon/Instagram
In the fourth Story, she shared her personal philosophy on the topic, “Learn More. Do Better,” and included a poll giving people three options on AI: “I want to learn more,” “I’m still considering,” or “Not for me.”
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As of press time, two hours after Witherspoon opened the poll, 74 percent wanted “to learn more” followed by 17 percent said AI was “not for me.”
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Source: "EW Celebrities"
Source: Celebrities
Published: April 17, 2026 at 11:00PM on Source: RED MAG
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