What Does the Bible Say About AI Session 4: A Hopeful Way Forward

A Hopeful Way ForwardOur God does not give us the option of looking to the future without hope. The life of the Christian is fundamentally a life of hope. Our hope is alive in Jesus Christ. Understanding this, let’s look at a hopeful framework for digital engagement in the age of artificial intelligence. Framework: We should adopt new technology only insofar as it promotes human flourishing.I define human flourishing in our Christian context as abounding in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control. The so-called Fruit of the Spirit. This is an admittedly churchy answer. In order to achieve this goal, let’s lay out some questions that can be helpful in deciding if interacting with a particular technology supports my flourishing. These questions fall into two main categories. Questions about the nature of the technology and questions about my desire to use it.Questions about the nature of the technology:“Who made it and to what end?” - Joshua SmithEx. Facebook originally being made to rate women’s attractiveness should perhaps be seen as a signal that it at least has sinister potential. Am I the product? Is my data the product? What incentive does whoever made it have in my use of this technology? How was it made?What promises is this technology making to me?Is what the technology promises to deliver worth the risks of using it? As Paul told the Corinthians, all things are permissible but not beneficial.Does the thing a particular AI product promises to deliver to me for my good?Questions about my desire to use this technologyIn using this technology, am I avoiding good, formative work that God has for me?In other words is this technology replacing thinking that I ought to be doing myself? There is no shortcut to doing the work, and we are formed by what Eugene Peterson calls a long obedience in the same direction. If we take out small moments, the loss is exponential, not linear. Why do I desire to use this technology?There are undoubtedly a number of positive ways that AI can be and is being used to advance God’s kingdom. Is my desire to use this technology compatible with the advancement of the kingdom of God.