Central Abbotsford

This week, I had the opportunity to take part in a panel discussion at Abbotsford Christian School on the topic of artificial intelligence. The panel consisted of a couple of educators, a school administrator, a counsellor, an AI business owner, and myself, and was an interesting and engaging talk on a topic that, whether we like it or not, is likely to greatly influence our world in the next generation – so we should be thinking about it well.

Although I introduced myself to the audience (with tongue firmly planted in cheek) as the “designated AI hater”, this topic is something that I have been interested in thinking well about, and by that I mean critically and theologically. 

I am still concerned about the use of artificial intelligence to replace our creative faculties, thereby depriving ourselves of one of the fundamental blessings of being made in the image of a God who creates. However, in our conversation, I was also encouraged about how AI can be used to enhance creative abilities.

This makes sense to me, because it is a principle that applies across types of media. Consider two young people watching a movie. One is purely consuming the content for entertainment purposes; it is a pleasant diversion for two to three hours before a return to normal life. The other is watching the movie, considering its artistry, storytelling, and the technical prowess necessary to achieve those things. From the outside, they may look the same – but the intention and creative process at work is very different.

To give an AI-based example that came up in the discussion, consider some of the challenges that have been identified regarding AI in schools. I have read numerous reports about students using large language models like ChatGPT to write their essays for them. This is the outsourcing of creativity that worries me. However, the AI business owner on the panel told us how his daughter is in French Immersion middle school. He does not speak French. However, in 15 minutes’ work for him, he was able to input his daughter’s French worksheets into an AI client that created a study game for her that allowed her to creatively learn the content in an engaging way (one that had her playing/studying for several hours)! I was impressed.

One of the biggest promises/selling points of artificial intelligence is that it will be able to do all the work that we don’t want to do. There is a theological dimension to this. In my last newsletter about AI, I referenced the cultural mandate of Genesis 1:28 – the command from God to fill, subdue, and have dominion over the earth; in other words, to work. But as with all things, the cultural mandate has been marred by sin, as Genesis 3:17-18 records God as telling our first parents that “cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.” In other words, the good work we have been given is now marred by painful toil. 

As the Scriptural story unfolds, we learn that the result of sin in the world is not only a corruption of work, but the onset of destruction, death, and decay, and the groaning of creation itself as it longs for redemption.

In reflecting on the discussion, and on these theological realities, I considered another framework by which we can think about AI (and indeed, all technological advancement). The Bible tells us that humanity longs for redemption and reconciliation – to undo the cause and effects of the fall. However, the entire storyline of the Bible is a testimony to humanity’s abject failure to do just that. Does this leave us nihilistic, hopeless, without any reason to look to the future, or even improvement in the present? Absolutely not, for two reasons.

First, and most importantly, there is Someone who can undo the cause and effect of the fall. Jesus Christ, who, upon His first coming to earth became a curse for us and bore the penalty of sin on the cross, will come again, with the promise to redeem and renew the whole creation, and wipe every tear from every eye of those whose name is written in the book of life. We have failed to undo the fall; He will not.

Secondly, and also vitally important, until He comes, we as followers of Jesus are called to work to alleviate the effects and consequences of the fall. Note the difference, though! Our goal is not to undo it – generations upon generations before us have proven that we are not capable of that task. But we are still called to care for the vulnerable, bind up the sick and injured, bear one another’s burdens, weep with those who weep – in other words, to mitigate the suffering that is the result of sin in the world. 

And so, as we consider the promises, hype, marketing, reality, and use of AI and how we relate to it – a helpful question to consider is “is this intended to lessen the effect of the fall, or is it purporting to undo the cause of the fall?” There are those who will seek to market AI as having godlike attributes; usually related to either omniscience or perfect wisdom. Some of the people making these claims are simply advertising a product, but I have no doubt that there are some true believers, even among AI’s architects. As you consider the merits of claims you have or will hear about artificial intelligence, keep this question in mind to help you separate the possible from the mere puffery as you approach this issue with Biblical wisdom.

If there are any specific questions that you have about the application of AI in your life (or any other situation) that you would like to seek Biblical wisdom with respect to, I would love to have a conversation with you! If you ever want to set a time to meet with me, I have an appointment calendar that allows you to book a meeting with me. New dates are added every day automatically depending on my availability, so feel free to book a meeting (if you want to send me an email to let me know what you’d like to meet about, you can always do that at eheath@northview.org).

In Jesus’ name,

Eric