I have noticed a sharp divergence in how people talk about AI. There are two distinct camps, and the line between them seems to map almost perfectly onto the line between the Neurodivergent and the Neurotypical.
This isn't just a difference of opinion; it is a difference in baseline friction.
For many neurotypical people, the "friction" of communication is part of the value. In their social protocol, showing that you suffered through the effort of writing a polite email is a sign of respect. They value the labor as much as the content.
When they see me use AI to handle correspondence or structure a project, they perceive it as "sloth" because they assume we are starting from the same baseline. They think I am skipping the work.
But we are not starting from the same baseline. For an Autistic person, the "Social Math" required to write a nuanced email isn't just work; it is exhausting, high-friction masking. It burns cognitive fuel that I need for actual problem-solving.
For me, AI is not a way to avoid thinking; it is a way to avoid the friction of translation.
It allows me to output raw data (logic, facts, patterns) and have the machine convert it into "acceptable human protocol." It handles the tone, the politeness, and the subtext so I don't have to manually calculate it.
To call this "cheating" is a profound misunderstanding of executive dysfunction. It is like telling a person in a wheelchair that using a ramp is "lazy" because everyone else has to climb the stairs.
AI effectively removes the "Admin Tax" on my brain. It allows me to interface with the world using my native language—logic—without the exhaustion of constant masking. That isn't sloth. That is efficiency.
The Protocol: Do not accept the judgment of "sloth" from those who do not carry the weight of the mask. Use the tool that lets you speak your mind without burning out your battery.