> HN always have had a sizable anti-tech crowd (I don't want to say luddite because it's borderline pejorative).

It's frequently said that technology is ethically neutral, and whether it's used for good or bad ends depends on how it is applied.

What you call the anti-tech crowd is simply the crowd that takes their ethical responsibilities seriously.

There are other potential points of view that could be adopted instead of tech neutrality. Some tech could be seen as inherently good, in which case there very little concern about how much of it is used. Some tech could be seen as inherently bad, meaning it should be avoided at all costs.

Anyone being honest about AI can see that although it has some positive uses, the potential for misuse is enormous. Therefore, if you're going to use it at all, you should think carefully about how to apply it. To people that have fully bought into the hype this caution appears like negativity instead of rationality.