Navigating uncertainty, & what kind of relationship should we have with AI?

It has become increasingly apparent that the world is becoming more uncertain. Uncertainty driven by geopolitical instability, new and ongoing wars, cultural change, and the sudden, disruptive arrival of AI technology.
It really does feel like some kind of pivot moment, a liminal state of change, a Rubicon about to be crossed. And uncertainty is not comfortable, even within our relatively stable Western existence, especially when compared to the far more terrifying instability experienced elsewhere in the world. Still, this moment feels deeply unsettling, uncomfortable, and, if we are honest, frightening.
How should we exist within circumstances like these? What is a healthy way to see, experience, and live through such times? Can we simply ignore what is happening around us and hope for the best? Should we avoid engaging altogether through fear of unforeseen consequences?
What do times like these teach us? What do they reveal about who we are? What responsibilities do we have to ourselves, to our families and loved ones, and to our fellow human beings in periods of uncertainty? What makes sense? What is practical?
Then there is the question of AI. Initially, I thought of this as a separate topic, but I now think it is deeply connected to all of the above.
How should we use this technology? What kind of relationship should we have with it? AI is undeniably disruptive, yet it also holds extraordinary potential to be helpful when guided by the right intentions. In the wrong hands, however, it can be deeply frightening.
These two themes seem to dovetail naturally, and together they could form the basis of a genuinely illuminating, and hopefully helpful, discussion.