AI & future missions

From the opening plenary on 22 September to its closing deliberations on the 28th, the Lausanne 4 Congress on World Evangelisation held this past week in Seoul, Korea, addressed some of most pressing issues facing humanity today. 

Daily highlights can be viewed here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7.

The implications for missions of sexuality, creation care, human rights and Artificial Intelligence were addessed in both plenaries and work groups. The congress document, The State of the Great Commission Report, available to all for study, discussion and action, included a section exploring shifts in understanding humanness in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, and human sexuality. 

The following summary draws heavily from the section on AI in the document:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are changing how people connect with each other both in positive and in unsettling ways. Advances in AI capacity and applications raise new questions about control and power, privacy, bias and discrimination, economic well-being, and our conception of what it means to be human. 

While it is crucial that we think through the moral ramifications and utilize it responsibly, we believe that AI presents the church and Christian ministries with a special chance to advance and better our work. We believe the use of AI technology can enhance our Great Commission efforts and discuss how we can embrace it responsibly.

Over the past decade, AI technologies have made their way into nearly every industry, revolutionizing sectors ranging from manufacturing to video production. While the widespread adoption of AI has been an ongoing trend, the public release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT marked a significant turning point in the public’s realization that AI will inevitably permeate every facet of our lives in the near future.

Christians worldwide have also recognized the immense potential of AI in advancing the spread of the gospel and have employed AI tools in many innovative ways; e.g. the enhancement of discipleship and training through the development of learner profiles. Teaching is at the core of discipleship, and learners are at the core of teaching. By deepening our understanding of learners and assisting us in the customization of learning material, AI systems can be a powerful tool.

An AI-driven chatbot can respond to inquiries about religion, cite biblical passages, and even have religious discussions. AI may be able to examine the text of the Bible, find key themes and patterns, and offer interpretation suggestions for certain passages. AI tools can improve and accelerate Bible translation—in written, audio, and visual formats.

Many Christians have reservations about integrating AI technologies into the life of the church. Some of these concerns stem from common misconceptions about the nature of AI, and others are grounded in important ethical and theological matters.

One common objection argues that because AI tools are created by humans and mimic human intelligence, the employment of such tools violates Christian ethics. In creating and utilizing AI technology, we are developing tools, not ‘beings’. Though these tools may imitate certain human-like capacities or abilities, AI tools are not human, and we do not have the capacity to make them human. As impressive as AI tools may be, they can only mimic how human beings complete tasks, and however advanced their capacity to analyse data may be, they necessarily cannot think and learn the way humans do.

Also, contrary to popular and exaggerated beliefs, the primary challenge lies not in an AI system becoming sentient or triggering a mass extinction event through autonomous and uncontrolled agents. 

We must be aware of the concerning ways AI is shaping our understandings of God, ourselves, and the world around us

AI tools have serious potential to be used for harm, therefore careful stewardship of AI tools cannot be neglected. Researchers and policymakers must ensure that AI tools will be developed and used in a responsible and ethical manner. 

Christians in the AI industry have a great opportunity to collaborate and promote the importance of ethical and responsible use of these tools, as well as to democratise the technology so that AI tools can be delivered in a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive manner.

By 2050, the new tools and techniques for creative expression provided by AI will deliver significant achievements in art, music, and design. Content created with AI tools in music, video, painting, etc. are indistinguishable from human-created works.

Overall, the state of AI in 2050 is likely to be characterised by rapid advancements in technology, along with a growing awareness of the ethical and societal implications of AI technology. 

Christian researchers, policymakers, and the public will need to work together to ensure that AI is developed and used in a way that is centred on human dignity.

Jeff Fountain, Director of the Schuman Centre for European Studies. This article was first published on the author's blog, Weekly Word.