AIn't Nothin' Like the Real Thing
AI is all over the news, with defenders and detractors arguing in sometimes existential terms about its benefits and dangers.
The rest of us, including Christians, busy trying to live the lives God has granted us, may be unsure of what the fuss is about, or whether we should care.
We should care. The “capability of computer systems and algorithms to imitate human intelligence” is a big deal. Like all technology, it has power to make our lives better or worse, to do good or evil, depending on how it’s used.
For some time now AI has been imitating human mental processes for good. In fields like medicine, business and government, its rapid gathering and analysis of data has yielded greater efficiency and helped people. Even non-tech citizens use AI tools to search the Internet for information, or solve practical everyday problems.
What about the bad? I can’t address the big questions about AI, like “Are billionaire tech giants gaining too much power?” But in our daily lives, the “bad” usually shows up as misinformation or malicious content on social media. Less obvious but also dangerous is the addictive power algorithms can exert over users.
As I navigate my own involvement with AI, here are three “principles,” borrowed from sources I trust, for thinking about and using AI “in a Christian way” [click here],
I relate to AI as a tool only.
Though it simulates certain human mental tasks, AI is not a person. Though it offers bogus “omniscience,” it certainly is not God. In fact, Samuel James says it fits the definition of an idol—created in the image of living things, but not alive. Yet for centuries idolaters have been fooled into substituting things for the living God (Ps. 115:4-8). Research suggests that many users of AI do interact with bots as if they are somehow “alive.” I’ll use AI for information or to help spread the Gospel, but won’t farm out my faith to an LLM just because it talks to me.
I consider how technology is shaping me.
It is tempting to “idolize” an entity that saves our workforce so much precious time. Yet those workers, enticed by recreational uses of AI, spend hours consuming or creating content that ranges from informative, to amusing, to destructive. The effect of time spent like this is not neutral. At best, it is mind-numbing. At worst, it can be soul-changing, crowding out the fruit of the Spirit. Speed and usefulness can’t be my only calculations in using this tool. I don’t want to lose my thoughtfulness and understanding down some OpenAI rabbit hole.
My mantra: Information is not wisdom; interaction with bots is not community.
AI offers information, but wisdom involves more than quick answers. It begins in “fear of the Lord” (Prov. 1:7), requires lived experience, and depends on a “renewed mind” that learns by working through difficult decisions (Rom. 12:2). Keyboard clicks cannot replace that process. Further, wisdom flourishes best in community. As a disciple of Jesus, in addition to scripture and the indwelling Spirit, I have wise Christians walking along side me, ready to listen and offer counsel.
These principles ultimately derive, of course, from the God of all wisdom and knowledge. Going forward, that should make us feel better about Christians and AI. To quote out of context the title of an old Marvin Gaye song, when it comes to seeking a higher power for answers, “Ain’t nothin’ like the real thing.”
The rest of us, including Christians, busy trying to live the lives God has granted us, may be unsure of what the fuss is about, or whether we should care.
We should care. The “capability of computer systems and algorithms to imitate human intelligence” is a big deal. Like all technology, it has power to make our lives better or worse, to do good or evil, depending on how it’s used.
For some time now AI has been imitating human mental processes for good. In fields like medicine, business and government, its rapid gathering and analysis of data has yielded greater efficiency and helped people. Even non-tech citizens use AI tools to search the Internet for information, or solve practical everyday problems.
What about the bad? I can’t address the big questions about AI, like “Are billionaire tech giants gaining too much power?” But in our daily lives, the “bad” usually shows up as misinformation or malicious content on social media. Less obvious but also dangerous is the addictive power algorithms can exert over users.
As I navigate my own involvement with AI, here are three “principles,” borrowed from sources I trust, for thinking about and using AI “in a Christian way” [click here],
I relate to AI as a tool only.
Though it simulates certain human mental tasks, AI is not a person. Though it offers bogus “omniscience,” it certainly is not God. In fact, Samuel James says it fits the definition of an idol—created in the image of living things, but not alive. Yet for centuries idolaters have been fooled into substituting things for the living God (Ps. 115:4-8). Research suggests that many users of AI do interact with bots as if they are somehow “alive.” I’ll use AI for information or to help spread the Gospel, but won’t farm out my faith to an LLM just because it talks to me.
I consider how technology is shaping me.
It is tempting to “idolize” an entity that saves our workforce so much precious time. Yet those workers, enticed by recreational uses of AI, spend hours consuming or creating content that ranges from informative, to amusing, to destructive. The effect of time spent like this is not neutral. At best, it is mind-numbing. At worst, it can be soul-changing, crowding out the fruit of the Spirit. Speed and usefulness can’t be my only calculations in using this tool. I don’t want to lose my thoughtfulness and understanding down some OpenAI rabbit hole.
My mantra: Information is not wisdom; interaction with bots is not community.
AI offers information, but wisdom involves more than quick answers. It begins in “fear of the Lord” (Prov. 1:7), requires lived experience, and depends on a “renewed mind” that learns by working through difficult decisions (Rom. 12:2). Keyboard clicks cannot replace that process. Further, wisdom flourishes best in community. As a disciple of Jesus, in addition to scripture and the indwelling Spirit, I have wise Christians walking along side me, ready to listen and offer counsel.
These principles ultimately derive, of course, from the God of all wisdom and knowledge. Going forward, that should make us feel better about Christians and AI. To quote out of context the title of an old Marvin Gaye song, when it comes to seeking a higher power for answers, “Ain’t nothin’ like the real thing.”
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