If you’ve used any of the AI chatbots, you would have no doubt been amazed at how it can produce information for you in such a short space of time, and probably amused at its conversational tone and personalisation in its interaction with you. Grok even  offers companion styles to the chats such as romantic companion, unhinged comedian and loyal friend. Periodically I will ask the chatbot to generate an image for me as well, and it has been quite impressive.  AI has even generated a podcast conversation of a booklet I wrote on the Woke movement.

AI is about information.  It is incredibly fast in its capacity to process a vast amount of data within a few seconds and put it together in a form that we understand.  It does not matter what your area of expertise is, Grok will be able to help. 

Of course as human beings, we rely on information to live in our world.  God designed us as information-processing beings.  Our brain works on the basis of information, which we receive through our five senses.  God made us with the capacity to think, with many factors playing into how we think, including our emotions, upbringing, culture, life experiences, education and so on.  It all flows into shaping how we think and perceive  life.  AI has none of that.

The irony about AI is that it relies on us for that information, and it further makes money from us as every time we interact with it in some form.  It ‘learns’ from us and the algorithms feed us with more information along those lines, effectively reinforcing confirmation bias.  You would have noticed this in your various social media feeds.

When it comes to information, we all appreciate the value of truth (well, at least we’re supposed to!). In a culture where we are still reaping the seeds sown by postmodernism (and earlier in history the Enlightenment), where everyone has their own truth and there is no absolute truth, AI certainly presents a challenge.  AI can be manipulated to give information that appears real but is blatantly false.  There have been a number of propaganda cases where political leaders have had videos posted of themselves by enemies and rivals saying things that are simply not true.  This is known as deep fake.  Global conflicts thrive on propaganda and misinformation posted through social media platforms, all helped with the enabling of AI.  It’s also been used to harm the lives of young ladies in particular where fake pornography has been made utilising images of them.  It would not surprise me if there are videos doing the rounds of respected Bible teachers being manipulated to teach heresy. One resource that has been developed to help people to discern whether videos (especially political) are fake in social media can be found at www.truemedia.org. 

Furthermore, despite its brilliance, more than once the chatbots have shown the capacity to produce false information (including references!), a phenomenon known as hallucination.  From what I understand, if there is a ‘kink’ in the programming, then it doesn’t matter how much data you give the chatbot, it will still continue to do this, just on a larger scale.  It seems the smaller language models are a better way forward as it utilises (or at least is supposed to) a smaller and more accurate amount of data.  

Obviously the capacity to analyse vast amounts of data is a phenomenal help when it comes to research. In this instance it makes perfect sense to utilise AI, but you still need to check the result to ensure you’re not sitting with any hallucinations.  Regretfully, this is not how chatbots get exclusively used.  It can churn out essays for you, do your homework, summarise books and so on.  It enables efficiency and gives you answers, all without you having to use your own brain and original intelligence given to you by God.  Reliance on AI for quick answers means we lose out on the slow but necessary process and cognitive tension required involved in reaching our own conclusions. 

In an interesting article which showcased some Gen Z’s resisting AI, one student observed the difference between classmates who use AI to do their homework and those who are resisting.  She said: “You can just tell. People are getting lazier, and they can’t communicate their ideas creatively on their own anymore. They can’t think for themselves”[v] The same article quotes Spencer Klavan, an author and lecturer at the University of Oxford’s Exeter and Magdalen Colleges, as saying “it is totally possible to outsource the business of being human—to outsource your soul—and it’s a grievous danger.”[vi]

Outsourcing our thinking means we lose out on a crucial aspect of our discipleship: worshipping God with our minds.  This has major implications for ministry.  I can easily ask AI to churn out a sermon for me, and it will do so.  But where will the ownership and spiritual authority be?  AI cannot incarnate.  AI can generate, but cannot create.  It can tell the gospel but not share it. Why? Because sharing the gospel requires redeemed humans.  God could have easily used an AI of a different source to share the gospel: Angel Intelligence (and every single person would have heard it because angels understand obedience).  Instead Jesus chose the likes of you and me.   Donovan Riley powerfully argues that the danger of AI in terms of the church and humanity is not destruction but reduction.  He says:

There is an urgent temptation here. To quicken what was meant to ripen. To automate what was meant to be felt. To polish what was meant to be wild and cracked and honest. The soul does not move at the speed of light, nor does grace arrive by automation. The mystery of Christ is not a pattern of language or a construct of logic. It is not a product. It is a person. Christ Jesus. Crucified. Risen. Present[vii]

Another reality to contend with regarding AI is its amorality.  A huge question that repeatedly crops up in painting future scenarios is the necessity of aligning AI with human values.  Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton, regarded as the ‘godfather’ of AI, says we need to program maternal values into AI so that it doesn’t take over us but instead looks after us.

If that sounds strange (and it does to me!) it nonetheless serves to highlight two realities.  Firstly, who is programming the AI and what is their value source?  Many industry leaders are not Christian in their value orientation, and are instead atheist.  We need Christians in this industry to help steer AI into the right direction, since this technology is not exactly neutral.  The words of Jesus to be ‘wise as serpents and gentle as doves’ rings so true in this regard (Matt 10:16).  Research has shown that these large language models such as ChatGPT have the capacity to change our opinions over time on issues, a phenomenon known as ‘latent persuasion.’[viii]  Having said that, I’m also pleased to say that there are many Christians engaged in the conversation around AI along with leaders of other faith groups (see https://aiandfaith.org/).   The second reality is that we must not forget that as human beings made in the image of God, intelligence is intimately linked to consciousness and a conscience. AI is made in our image, not the image of God.  AI is a mirror to us.

I have one more concern to share under the heading of reliance.  I’m concerned that the increasing reliance on Grok etc may well have the effect of dulling a sense of wonder.  If the answers are given so quickly, will our younger generation and the ones coming ever develop a sense of awe over what we see in our world and universe?  If they ask Grok where do we come from, will they be given the consensus answer of evolution, or be pointed to the possibility of a creator? 

In short, as Christians we are going to need to grow in knowing the voice of the Holy Spirit to enable us to discern, because we have access to something AI doesn’t: revelation.  I cannot help but think that the results of overusing AI by humanity is going to result in a humanitarian crisis of a different sort (one that is already being experienced – that of loneliness and mental health crisis).  As children of God we need to be poised to enter this void.  The church can lead the way in teaching what it is to be human (and leading the way in how to use AI would also be good!).