Taos AI Workshops

05/29/2026

Interesting perspective.

Many of us are worried about AI’s environmental impact, and we SHOULD be asking questions about data centers, water use, and energy consumption.

But according to this article, AI may not be the most environmentally damaging thing we do online. Streaming, endless scrolling, cloud storage, and other everyday internet habits add up too.

Maybe the conversation isn’t just about AI.

Maybe it’s about becoming more conscious digital citizens.

Article:
https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/internet-habits-environmental-damage

05/29/2026

One of the biggest concerns about AI isn’t the technology itself, it’s the infrastructure behind it.

If we’re going to have honest conversations about AI, we also need to talk about data centers, water use, energy consumption, regulation, and who bears the environmental costs.

Personally, I don’t think the answer is pretending AI doesn’t exist.

I think the answer is learning how these tools work, using them thoughtfully, and advocating for data centers to be built more slowly, more transparently, and with the highest possible standards for water conservation and environmental responsibility.

I recently came across a free tool that tracks operating and proposed data centers across the United States. It’s an interesting resource for anyone who wants to move beyond headlines and look at the actual infrastructure being built.

https://cleanview.co/data-centers

In communities like Taos, where water matters, these conversations matter too.

We can be curious about technology and still ask hard questions.

Track operating and planned data centers across all 50 states in the US. Free tool with capacity data, developer info, and interactive maps.

05/26/2026

Paid opportunity to share your perspective on AI in rural communities.

Dope Labs Research Agency is hosting an interactive GenAI workshop at UNM–Taos to better understand how artificial intelligence is affecting rural communities and how people are using, or not using, these tools in real life.

They are looking for both everyday users and professional experts to share perspectives related to:

• Entertainment & media
• Health & well-being
• Education & learning
• Communications & public discourse

You do NOT need to be a tech person to participate.

Participants selected will receive a $200 or $250 honorarium.

📅 Tuesday, June 9, 2026
🕑 2:00–6:00 PM
📍 UNM–Taos
🍽️ Lunch and snacks included

Must be 18+ and able to attend in person. Seats are limited, and participants will be selected.

Rural communities deserve a voice in how emerging technology develops. This is one opportunity to make sure that voice is included.

Sign up here: https://bit.ly/taos-reach

05/18/2026

AI is here.

People are using it already for writing, marketing, research, business operations, communication, brainstorming, and more.

Some people are excited. Some are skeptical. Some are worried. All of which makes sense.

In a place like Taos, where we care deeply about community, land, culture, water, ethics, and how technology shapes our lives, I don’t think the answer is blind adoption.

I don’t think the answer is ignoring it either.

I think we need to have a conversation about it.

Tomorrow the Taos Milagro Rotary is hosting a free Ethical AI Workshop to explore what these tools are, what they aren’t, where they may help, where caution is needed, and how to think critically about their use.

Bring a laptop or phone if you’d like to follow along.

📍 Kit Carson Electric Cooperative Board Room
🗓 Tuesday, May 19
🕔 5:00–6:30 PM

If you’d like to join the conversation, RSVP here:

https://forms.gle/f2NKy86zSn7SZxTT9

Thank you to the Taos Milagro Rotary Club for sponsoring this workshop and making it free for the community.

04/07/2026

I started exploring AI in late 2022, mostly out of curiosity.

Pretty quickly, I realized this wasn’t just another tool, it was going to change how we work.

Since then, I’ve been working with organizations to help them think through how to use it responsibly, not just efficiently.

I just launched my website to bring all of that together:

Practical, ethical AI training for nonprofits. Only 13 spots in 2026. Hands-on workshops starting at $3,500. Avoid bias risks, protect privacy. Book call for nonprofit leaders.

03/31/2026

Business cards have arrived! 🎉

03/25/2026

Hi, I’m Shannon Dominguez, the founder of Taos AI Workshops & Consulting. I help nonprofits, businesses, and entrepreneurs learn how to use AI in practical, ethical ways that actually support their work (not replace it).

I started working with AI in 2023 and quickly saw both the opportunity and the risks. Now I teach how to use AI ethically as a tool to save time, increase capacity, and stay human-centered in their work, especially for communities and populations that often get left behind in major tech shifts.

The intention behind these workshops is to close the knowledge gap around AI so people aren’t vulnerable to it, and instead know how to leverage it in ways that are useful, ethical, and as a tool to support their work.