We’re in a period of history called the AI Spring or AI Boom. Less than a decade ago money and effort went into developing artificial intelligence software—this trend continues today. With the increase in computing power and other technological advancements, we’re seeing the beginnings of an AI race with companies and countries seeking to capitalize on this new technology—its full potential remains unknown.
Is AI a useful tool? Is this a nefarious plot by bad actors? Should Christians avoid it or embrace it? Will it impact my life? What do I need to know? These are important questions and ones that I want to begin to answer in this article and future ones.[1]
What is AI?
Whether you have familiarity with computer programming or not, most can understand the basics of how computers work. A computer uses a series of instructions (or code) and outputs text, graphics, or audio based on those instructions. These instructions are written by computer programmers who write code to handle all the logic, handle human inputs (mouse clicks and keyboard presses), and then instruct the computer what to display on the screen, store on a disk, or send to another computer or device. Complex programs or applications involving millions of lines of code are used in every aspect of our society. Phones, computers, telephones, televisions, automobiles, appliances, banks, stores, and governments are all dependent on computers running software written by programmers. We’ve all experienced when applications crash or produce unexpected results—and typically we blame our computer—but the computer simply does what a human being tells it to do. It is a simple machine—a glorified calculator. It doesn’t think. It simply follows the instructions given to it.
AI takes a different approach to the instruction-based approach to computing. Sparing the technical details, AI software seeks to mimic how a brain works by constructing a neural network that can “learn.” Traditionally, computer programs store their information in databases and instructions are given to retrieve the desired information or manipulate it. But AI attempts to mimic the mind rather than mimic a calculator. These AI models are then fed information which creates connections in the neural network much like a brain works in a living creature. These can be connections between words, images, or other pieces of information.
In this way AI is software that must be trained with a body of knowledge (we have plenty of this thanks to the internet and the digital age) and with human trainers. Once trained, the AI software is designed to receive inputs (like text or images) and then generate output that is not pre-programmed or coming directly out of a database or file. Rather, it mimics a mind that can take basic concepts and mash them together to create something unique and unforeseen.
Examples
OpenAI is leading the charge in the AI race. They are the ones responsible for ChatGPT which awakened the world to the power of AI. They’ve developed an image generator based on ChatGPT that you can see examples of here: https://openai.com/dall-e-3. Most recently, they have announced Sora which creates incredible videos with a text prompt. You can see videos generated here: https://openai.com/sora.
I did my own ChatGPT test and asked the AI powered software some theological questions.
Me: “Write a one paragraph summary of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.”
ChatGPT: “The Christian doctrine of the Trinity asserts that there is one God who exists eternally in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. These three persons are believed to be co-equal, co-eternal, and consubstantial, meaning they share the same essence or substance of deity while maintaining distinct roles within the Godhead. The Trinity is a central tenet of Christian theology, emphasizing the complex yet unified nature of God as revealed in the Bible.”
Me: “Write a paragraph outlining the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
ChatGPT: “The evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is primarily derived from several key historical sources and factors. First and foremost, the New Testament Gospels, written by eyewitnesses and early followers of Jesus, provide detailed accounts of his crucifixion, burial, and subsequent appearances to his disciples. These accounts include specific details such as the empty tomb, encounters with the risen Jesus, and transformations in the lives of the disciples following the resurrection. Additionally, the testimony of early Christian leaders and martyrs, who were willing to endure persecution and death for their belief in the resurrection, lends further credibility to the event. Furthermore, archaeological findings, such as the discovery of early Christian tombs and inscriptions, corroborate aspects of the Gospel narratives. Finally, the rapid growth and enduring impact of the early Christian movement, despite intense opposition, are seen as indirect evidence of the reality of Jesus’ resurrection. Collectively, these historical, textual, and circumstantial pieces of evidence form a compelling case for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
It should be noted that these answers from ChatGPT are not pre-programmed. The software is not looking up a Wikipedia article or copying this answer from another text or internet source. It has been trained by thousands of sources and has put together this answer from the parameters in its neural network.
The Impact of AI
The extent to which AI will affect our lives is uncertain at this point. I’m convinced that it will revolutionize how we live our lives. I believe, like the invention of the automobile and the computer changed the world as we know it, continued advances in AI technology will do the same.
You might not like it. You might be unsure of it. But it is here and here to stay.
Already it has begun to revolutionize certain industries. Photos and videos, which would take many hours to compose, can now be generated by text prompts into AI in a matter of seconds or minutes.[2] Other industries like customer service, web development, and programming will also be changed as AI models continue to improve and generate content much faster—and in some cases better—than a human can. There will be applications in the medical field with doctors and surgeons relying on AI to plan and execute medical procedures and treatments. Publishing will be affected as AI generates text and functions as an editor. Politics will be affected as fake images or videos will be harder to identify. Self-driving vehicles will likely use AI to navigate and control the vehicle. Robotics, security, and manufacturing will also be affected.
In the end, there will likely be many sectors of our economy that will be rearranged as AI replaces existing workers. Just like the industrial revolution, it will be a painful transition for many people whose livelihoods will be directly affected.
When the dust begins to settle, will the impact of AI be good or is it dangerous? Like most things, this isn’t black or white. Let me consider the dangers first, and then the good before offering final reflections.
The Dangers
Those at the forefront of developing AI understand the risks and dangers of the software they are designing. I appreciate that they are seeking it mitigate potential problems, but we need to be aware of them. I’ve already mentioned the economic impacts, but here is a list of some of the dangers of AI technology:
- Security risks from privacy concerns and facial recognition could be exploited by overbearing governments, companies seeking to make money, or bad actors with ill motives.
- Bad actors will use AI to breach security barriers, commit crimes, promote sexually explicit material, and even potentially engage in cyber warfare between countries.
- AI has already had issues with false information. Recently Google had to park their Gemini AI software for its woke bias and embarrassingly false information.[3] This reveals that those who train the AI have a bias and can skew results, making them unreliable as a tool.
- We can stop learning and thinking. When we become dependent, we lose our independence. With the advent of calculators and computers, math proficiency has suffered. Consider how dependent you are on your phone. Technology can easily replace our own learning and thinking skills.
- We can be lazy and cheat. People have already used ChatGPT to write essays or school assignments. It would not surprise me if even pastors have used it to create sermons. Edit: After a quick search, there is already an AI bot that writes sermon outlines. Very sad.
- We lose discernment. When you read something, you should consider the source. As AI improves, we can be lulled into trusting the software to provide accurate and reliable answers. How can we compete with something that can read and learn from 80,000 books while you take the time to read this one article? I’ve experienced doctors come into a room and look at the machines and charts, and decide about treatment without ever looking at the patient! We can lose all discernment and critical thinking by depending on machines.
The Good
While there are dangers to this new technology, there are many advantages as well.
First, it is a testament to the creativity that God has put within man. This new technology bears witness to the ability that man possesses to think God’s thoughts after him. Scientists have studied the brain and are now attempting to mimic what God has designed. Similar insights have been made in flight and other man-made technology by mimicking what God has already designed in the natural order.
This shouldn’t alarm or scare us. God’s creation will always be the standard and the pattern for man’s creativity. Consider a camera, it is based on the eye and attempts to mimic what the eye can do. While a camera today is complex and sophisticated, it still doesn’t come close to doing what the eye can do. AI will have a similar result. It will fall short of what God has designed. The student cannot exceed the master. The creature cannot surpass the Creator. However, we should not recoil that man is doing what he has been created to do—exercising his creativity and imaging forth the Creator of heaven and earth.
Second, we should have no fear about AI becoming a true intelligence or reaching self-awareness or personhood. God has given us a soul. We are more than the sum of our parts. We might be able to create a (rudimentary) model of the brain, but we are powerless to breath into that brain the breath of life. While AI can and will be able to do tasks better than a human being, it will never surpass humanity.
Third, AI is an excellent apologetic for God as Creator. It confirms what we see everywhere in nature—intelligence begets intelligence. There is no way that a software model like this came about by chance. Likewise, our minds—many magnitudes higher in complexity—did not come about by chance. The fact that we can design and create is a testament to God’s design of the universe.
Fourth, AI will increasingly be a tool to make our lives easier. It will be used to tackle tedious or dangerous jobs. Like a calculator or computer, it will be a useful tool to increase productivity and efficiency. It will be a beneficial aid in medical treatments, communication, travel, and economic development. There is much potential here that remains to be seen.
Concluding Reflections: What should a Christian do with AI?
Christians should not be Luddites. We should not think technology is inherently bad or something to be feared and resisted. You might not like it, but it is here.
Christians should also not be technophiles, ready to adopt every new gadget on the market.
As Christians, we should exercise discernment, and consider how this new technology will affect us and how it can be used for the glory of God. Today there are people considering how this technology will make them rich, help them commit crimes, or gain them some advantage. We should be considering how this might be used to advance the light of the knowledge of God in an age where darkness pervades.
More to come…
—Tim Stephens
[1] I find myself in a unique position as one who has a Computer Engineering degree and worked as a software developer before my conversion to Christianity and my current vocation as a pastor.
[2] We’ve used AI to generate images for our emails and sermon series graphics. The image for this article was generated by AI. Also, my recent sermon series on Ruth and the Sovereignty of God both used AI to generate the series images and thumbnails.
[3] Gemini couldn’t decide who is worse for the world: Adolph Hitler or Elon Musk… https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-google-war-x-gemini-ai-chatbots-2024-2