AI is changing the world as we understand it and the Church has a responsibility to be ahead of the curve, says Christian technologist Nick Kim.
Kim, who has spent over 20 years working within the technology sector, including time at Google and YouTube, says AI is unlike anything ever invented because while these “make our lives easier, they don’t really challenge what it means to be human”.
“AI is fundamentally different from another invention since it is taking our most prized asset, our intelligence, and we at the moment are outsourcing it to a machine,” he said.
What is more, that machine can create more intelligence, meaning AI’s growth is exponential. Kim says this growth will only speed up, with huge implications not just for society but for the Church.
“Literally all facets of society will evolve and grow at an accelerated pace, from business, to education, to the best way that we relate to one another, to ministry, to the Great Commission,” he said.
“All these facets will profit from the boom in intelligence that we’ll have from these machines.
“So that is a primary opportunity for the Church to then not be backfooted but really lead the charge on this area and leverage this technology for the Kingdom of God and something good.”
Kim was one among the panellists in a special session on AI on the World Evangelical Alliance’s general assembly going down in Seoul, South Korea, this week.
Delegates on the assembly heard about a number of the challenges that AI is presenting to the entire of society. These include problems with fake images, academic dishonesty, inaccurate information, a scarcity of transparency, the impact on jobs and the environment, and the undeniable fact that AI cannot distinguish between right and incorrect in the best way that humans can.
Quintin McGrath, a researcher on the link between AI and faith, spoke of a “human identity crisis” by which the principle of the image of God is “being replaced and challenged by AI”, while transhumanism – the idea that the human condition could be transformed by AI and other technologies – is “undermining the Gospel”.
He noted that attitudes towards this latest technology vary considerably, even amongst Christians, a few of whom are positive and others extremely suspicious.
“It ranges all the best way from embracing the opportunities through to total resistance. It’s portrayed as a tool of the enemy in some cases, and in other cases it’s a present of God for us at this particular time. This is the stress we are able to see within the Church right away,” he said.
He believes that a part of the role for the Church is to assist construct a “trust framework” for AI geared toward aligning it with biblical principles and sound theology, and increasing accountability.
“The core query is: does our AI system enhance our desire to like God and love our neighbours?” he said.
“Does our AI system strengthen or weaken our relationships with God and others? … Does it serve real human needs? Are we fascinated with the profit for everybody? Are we treating everyone equally?”
With AI already shaking work and jobs, Dr McGrath said there was a necessity for Christian leaders to be increasingly “proactive” in providing pastoral care to those affected.
Also on the panel was philosopher Professor Chris Watkins who said that regardless of personal feelings around AI, church leaders needed to care about it due to its very real impact on people.
“People are affected and in the longer term shall be increasingly affected by AI, whether we personally are users of AI or not, and whether we personally are smitten by AI or not,” he said.
“It is inevitable that people who find themselves very near us in our families, congregations and communities may have their lives modified by AI and that ought to matter to us as individuals who consider in a God who died for people.”
Professor Watkins challenged Christians to contemplate the larger picture and the human impact on each users and developers.
“What I’d urge us all to do as we use AI is to look behind the screen and what AI presents to us; have a look at the infrastructure that’s vital to present to us the prompt that flickers on our screen,” he said.
“Who is involved in making that possible and who’s hidden from our view? What individuals are involved on this huge global enterprise of AI which can be off the stage?”
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