Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere or will soon be. As Christians, do we just disregard it? Hide from it? Well, we are called to steward our talents and resources so the best way to handle AI is to look at it and see it through the lens of scripture. Or am I wrong? Let’s answer the following about AI first:
WHERE is AI being used
WHAT is AI and HOW we should look at it
WHO I am and WHY I am asking you to join the conversation
WHERE is AI
AI is now in ordinary places and services you may have gone to or used. How ordinary? Well, I’ll give you a few: McDonald’s, Zoom and Facebook. Let’s add Google too. Below is Google’s Generative (meaning, new content or ideas) AI results:
McDonald’s uses AI to manage inventory, predict orders and plans to expand its AI use next year. Venture Beat shared more details on how the fast food chain is using AI in its business. Zoom now has AI Companion while Meta uses AI to influence what you see in your Facebook and Instagram feeds. AI is invading ordinary places, services or media that we use. But what exactly is it?
WHAT is AI and HOW should we look at it
Remember, AI stands for “artificial intelligence.” It is not human intelligence. It’s name labels it as artificial. Google AI defined it as “a branch of science that studies machine intelligence.” Should we be intimidated by AI? Well, the bible repeatedly instructed us to “fear not.”
I like how digital writers I follow reacted to ChatGPT, a popular generative AI which can write outlines and articles in seconds. Instead of being intimidated by ChatGPT and other AI writing tools, they used it as a tool to make themselves more productive. Basically, they used prompt engineering to create writing boundaries: they did the thinking while AI did what research assistants do. In other words, they used AI as a free virtual assistant. As Christians, we should also not be intimidated by AI and look at how it can serve us and make ourselves more productive in our individual callings. We should learn how to use AI to be good and faithful servants (Matthew 25:21,23).
WHO I am and WHY I am asking you to join the conversation
I am a former special education teacher who is seeking to clone myself to serve students and teachers outside the four walls of any classroom. When I was an inclusion teacher, my students with special needs were scattered in different GenEd classrooms. I felt I needed to multiply myself so I left to create educational materials and services as a virtual co-teacher. Now that AI is freely available, I am exploring its use as a business tool. However, as a Christ-follower, I am also aware that some Christians are questioning its existence. I know the value of counsel so I asked one of our small group church leaders if she can lead a group that studies AI. She challenged me to lead it instead. That is why I started an online newsletter about AI Technology for Christians. I am inviting you to subscribe for free and join the conversation where:
I will write about an issue, article or book about AI
find a relevant scripture that will guide us, or ask readers to suggest how Christians should be guided about it
publish a new topic or article every two weeks
