It takes two to tango. 1. The site operator makes choices. 2. The web user makes choices. (The so-called "tech" companies try to remove the likelihood/ability of the web user to make choices.)

As a web user, I choose a browser that has no Javascript engine. Nor does it auto-load resources. Yet I read the full article and saw no popups. The website operator has provided detailed "alt" descriptions for each image.1 The 1.2 MiB statically-compiled browser I'm using does not come from a so-called "tech" company or any of their business partners (Mozilla == Google business partner). As such, no need for uBO.

If one takes a position that no web user should change their choices, then IMHO this detracts from any pleas to website operators to change their choices.

Further, if one argues against web users changing their choices, e.g., a commenter suggests that all web users should always auto-load all resources in a web page and run all Javascript, then this only provides more incentive for website operators to include lots of commercially-oriented garbage in their pages.

Truthfully, there is no need to use AI to avoid popups. There are simpler solutions.

1. If for some reason I want to look at the cartoons I can download each image with a single keystroke and view them without using any Javascript.

To read the "alt" descriptions, text-only, no Javascript, no popups, without a browser:

   tnftp -o'|grep -o "alt=\".*"\" class"|sed "s/alt=./@/;s/.\{13\}$//;s/"/\"/g"|tr @ \\n|fmt' \
    https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/02/28/1088262/luddites-resisting-automated-future-technology/amp/