Artificial intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence has been in the news a lot, and we have been asked about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it relates to Christian doctrine.
Artificial intelligence is the capability of a digital computer to perform tasks typically associated with intelligent beings (humans), such as learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. Unlike traditional software that follows rigid rules, AI systems use algorithms to identify patterns in large databases, allowing them to adapt and improve their performance over time.
Christian view: Artificial intelligence is made by humans ingenuity, as we love to create. We are made in the image of God; just as God loves to create, humans love to create. See the Image of God page.
Artificial intelligence is a human tool, like almost all other human tools, it can be used for good or bad (evil).
The Good: AI acts as a powerful collaborator that enhances diagnostic precision, streamlines administrative tasks, and accelerates drug discovery. Medical Imaging & Diagnostics: AI algorithms are used to analyze X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs to detect abnormalities like lesions, fractures, or early-stage cancers that human eyes might miss. AI is helping teachers by automating administrative tasks, creating personalized learning materials, and analyzing student data to improve engagement. Better safety, transportation, risk management, scientific discovery, and cybersecurity, with fewer human errors.
The Bad: Massive power consumption, which is driving up the cost of energy and straining the electricity grid. It is causing: job displacement, data, diminished human interaction, more privacy breaches, and the creation of misinformation. AI tests have shown that AI often gives you what it thinks you want to hear, rather than giving you the truth. Another problem on the rise: a decline in human critical thinking and a lack of transparency. Cheating on the rise. Using AI to "get the answer" hinders critical thinking and the ability to parse truth from fiction. There is increased monitoring of people, thus reducing privacy. Generative AI enables criminals to create realistic, unique, and non-existent identities, making them difficult for current verification systems to detect. This has led to an increase in catfishing, romance scams, and the spread of misinformation. Americans filed over 18,000 romance scam complaints, with losses totaling $652 million in 2023 (even causing a few deaths). There have been several high-profile and tragic cases where general-purpose AI chatbots have been linked to encouraged suicide and self-harm (giving the person what they "want", so it helped them kill themself).
Does Artificial Intelligence have a conscience? No. Artificial Intelligence is not conscious. While AI can simulate intelligence, engage in conversation, and process information at high speeds, it lacks self-awareness, subjective feelings, and lived experience. It is a powerful tool driven by algorithms, not a sentient being, though its advanced mimicry can create the illusion of consciousness. This is including LLM (Large Language Models), LLMs learns the statistical relationships between words and phrases". As AI assistants become more sophisticated, they can mimic empathy and self-awareness, leading humans—who tend to anthropomorphize—to treat them as alive. Note that consciousness does not die when the air conditioning or electricity is turned off. Artificial Intelligence does not think about death, the afterlife, prayer, or the need to worship of God, it does not have moral dilemmas. It cannot tame, domesticate, or train wild animals. Wild animals will not be attracted to it.
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