Artificial Intelligence: Imago Dei, Stewardship, and the Mission of the Church

We’ve all heard the charge levelled at Artificial Intelligence (AI) that it is a demonic technology that should never be used. However, AI already underpins many technologies in our lives, from Netflix suggestions to software for clinical decisionmaking. Can AI be stewarded wisely for use by the church to support its mission without denigrating its community? Will AI ever reach the status of human intelligence, and what does it actually mean to be human? Dr. Todd Korpi, author of the acclaimed book AI Goes to Church: Pastoral Wisdom for Artificial Intelligence, joins Dr. Noller, a scientist who uses artificial intelligence for cancer research, to discuss the Christian perspective on AI. We discuss whether AI will ever reach a human-like level of intelligence and what Christian theology teaches us about being human. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities AI poses for pastors, ministry leaders, and laypeople and grapple with the ethical concerns of leveraging AI for Christian missions.

Resources:

• AI Goes to Church: Pastoral Wisdom for Artificial Intelligence
• What is Artificial Intelligence? Introductory article from IBM