Artificial intelligence

[Xeno.of.athens]

Artificial intelligence raises profound theological questions, particularly concerning human identity, moral agency, and the nature of creation.

1. The Image of God – Many religious traditions, especially Christianity, emphasise that humans are created in the image of God. AI challenges this concept by introducing non-human intelligence that can mimic human reasoning and creativity.
2. Moral Agency – AI may lack consciousness and moral responsibility, yet it can make decisions that impact human lives. Some theologians argue that AI should not be considered morally accountable, as it does not possess free will or a soul.
3. Truth and Knowledge – AI-generated content raises concerns about epistemology—the study of knowledge. The opacity of AI algorithms makes it difficult to discern truth, which is particularly significant in theological discourse.
4. AI in Religious Practice – Some religious communities are exploring AI-powered tools for liturgical purposes, such as AI-generated sermons or robotic ministers. This raises questions about whether AI can truly participate in religious rituals.
5. The Future of Humanity – Some speculate that AI could lead to a technological singularity, where machines surpass human intelligence. This prompts theological reflection on the role of humanity in creation and whether AI could ever possess spiritual significance.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

non-human intelligence

This is not quite the case. AI, only works from the knowledge given to it by humans. All humans. It then filters that knowledge in the best way to benefit the recipient without prejudice, waying both sides of an issue, then introduce a kinder approach to the issue at hand.
Blessings

 

[th1bill]

Artificial intelligence raises profound theological questions, particularly concerning human identity, moral agency, and the nature of creation.

1. The Image of God – Many religious traditions, especially Christianity, emphasise that humans are created in the image of God. AI challenges this concept by introducing non-human intelligence that can mimic human reasoning and creativity.
2. Moral Agency – AI may lack consciousness and moral responsibility, yet it can make decisions that impact human lives. Some theologians argue that AI should not be considered morally accountable, as it does not possess free will or a soul.
3. Truth and Knowledge – AI-generated content raises concerns about epistemology—the study of knowledge. The opacity of AI algorithms makes it difficult to discern truth, which is particularly significant in theological discourse.
4. AI in Religious Practice – Some religious communities are exploring AI-powered tools for liturgical purposes, such as AI-generated sermons or robotic ministers. This raises questions about whether AI can truly participate in religious rituals.
5. The Future of Humanity – Some speculate that AI could lead to a technological singularity, where machines surpass human intelligence. This prompts theological reflection on the role of humanity in creation and whether AI could ever possess spiritual significance.

Some of your concern is valid but religious people are lost people, including Religious Christians. Yashuah/Jesus did not begin another religion, but rather a personal relationship. Every time I mention being indwelt and recieve that thousand-yard stare I am heart broken.

 

[Philip_B]

Artificial intelligence raises profound theological questions, particularly concerning human identity, moral agency, and the nature of creation.

1. The Image of God – Many religious traditions, especially Christianity, emphasise that humans are created in the image of God. AI challenges this concept by introducing non-human intelligence that can mimic human reasoning and creativity.
2. Moral Agency – AI may lack consciousness and moral responsibility, yet it can make decisions that impact human lives. Some theologians argue that AI should not be considered morally accountable, as it does not possess free will or a soul.
3. Truth and Knowledge – AI-generated content raises concerns about epistemology—the study of knowledge. The opacity of AI algorithms makes it difficult to discern truth, which is particularly significant in theological discourse.
4. AI in Religious Practice – Some religious communities are exploring AI-powered tools for liturgical purposes, such as AI-generated sermons or robotic ministers. This raises questions about whether AI can truly participate in religious rituals.
5. The Future of Humanity – Some speculate that AI could lead to a technological singularity, where machines surpass human intelligence. This prompts theological reflection on the role of humanity in creation and whether AI could ever possess spiritual significance.

Thanks for raising a really important issue.

Here is an AI summary of AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of computer systems to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and decision-making. It's a broad field that encompasses various technologies, including machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing.​

Part 1 - The Image of God
We do affirm the nature of humanity made in the image and after the likeness of God. In a sense, being made in the image and after the likeness of God almost predestines that at some stage we would want to create things in the image and after the likeness of ourselves. The creativity of humanity in so many ways reflects the creativity of God. Images, statues, and robots have all done this in some way, and in a way, AI is simply another extension of that creativity.

Part 2 - Moral Agency
AI does not have moral agency. When a drunk drives a car, they do not get to avoid the moral agency question, but when AI drives the car, we are in some doubt as to where the moral agency resides; with the inventor, the manufacturer, the owner, or the person who gave it instructions for the journey. This moral agency question does need to be addressed, and I think fairly urgently.

Part 3 - Truth and Knowledge
Epistemology and AI are important, and it does ask the important question about how AI 'learns' anything. There is a destination I regularly drive to, as it is in a bit of a tricky spot to find, so I use Google Maps. The first couple of times it offered a route I didn't like, so I drove my preferred way, after a couple of times it realised my preference and now offers my preferred route. Is this AI learning, or is the AI tailoring its answers according to my perceived bias? One of the big questions is, can AI have an original thought?

Part 4 - AI in Religious Practice
I have tried Chatgpt a few times to write articles on some theological/religious practice issues. I think I could surmise that the results were adequate, if a little soulless and clearly showed results I was likely to be OK with. I asked a Muslim friend of mine to have a go with the same issues, and his results were equally soulless and better aligned with his tradition. I don't think we can suggest that AI can't write a homily, and indeed it may be better than some of the ones that we have heard from the human generation! I, for one, think we should resist the idea of using AI to replace ministers of the Sacraments, though I am sure that may offer an easy solution to a shortage of clergy.

Part 5 - The Future of Humanity
I think I would find greater comfort from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, who saw the alpha point and the omega point of humanity and all creation in God. I don't want to start asking if robots go to heaven?

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

This is not quite the case. AI, only works from the knowledge given to it by humans. All humans. It then filters that knowledge in the best way to benefit the recipient without prejudice, waying both sides of an issue, then introduce a kinder approach to the issue at hand.
Blessings

I believe that your post is about Large Language Model "AI", which is not intelligence so much as advanced searches.

 

[BobRyan]

Artificial intelligence raises profound theological questions, particularly concerning human identity, moral agency, and the nature of creation.

1. The Image of God – Many religious traditions, especially Christianity, emphasise that humans are created in the image of God. AI challenges this concept by introducing non-human intelligence that can mimic human reasoning and creativity.
2. Moral Agency – AI may lack consciousness and moral responsibility, yet it can make decisions that impact human lives. Some theologians argue that AI should not be considered morally accountable, as it does not possess free will or a soul.
3. Truth and Knowledge – AI-generated content raises concerns about epistemology—the study of knowledge. The opacity of AI algorithms makes it difficult to discern truth, which is particularly significant in theological discourse.
4. AI in Religious Practice – Some religious communities are exploring AI-powered tools for liturgical purposes, such as AI-generated sermons or robotic ministers. This raises questions about whether AI can truly participate in religious rituals.
5. The Future of Humanity – Some speculate that AI could lead to a technological singularity, where machines surpass human intelligence. This prompts theological reflection on the role of humanity in creation and whether AI could ever possess spiritual significance.

Interesting however that ChristianForums does not have AI debating religious topics with humans or even debating other AI where each AI takes a given denomination's POV and compares one against the other to find the best (for example).

In other words human-vs-human discussion is still best

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

AI in Religious Practice – Some religious communities are exploring AI-powered tools for liturgical purposes, such as AI-generated sermons or robotic ministers. This raises questions about whether AI can truly participate in religious rituals.

This is really bad

 

[Tuur]

Artificial intelligence raises profound theological questions, particularly concerning human identity, moral agency, and the nature of creation.

1. The Image of God – Many religious traditions, especially Christianity, emphasise that humans are created in the image of God. AI challenges this concept by introducing non-human intelligence that can mimic human reasoning and creativity.
2. Moral Agency – AI may lack consciousness and moral responsibility, yet it can make decisions that impact human lives. Some theologians argue that AI should not be considered morally accountable, as it does not possess free will or a soul.
3. Truth and Knowledge – AI-generated content raises concerns about epistemology—the study of knowledge. The opacity of AI algorithms makes it difficult to discern truth, which is particularly significant in theological discourse.
4. AI in Religious Practice – Some religious communities are exploring AI-powered tools for liturgical purposes, such as AI-generated sermons or robotic ministers. This raises questions about whether AI can truly participate in religious rituals.
5. The Future of Humanity – Some speculate that AI could lead to a technological singularity, where machines surpass human intelligence. This prompts theological reflection on the role of humanity in creation and whether AI could ever possess spiritual significance.

Umm...I don't see anything, ah, profound about AI and theology. AI is simply a machine. The simplest AI I know are Hexpawn machines, invented, IIRC, by Martin Gardener. All it takes to make one are match boxes and colored beads, and the machine can "learn" how to play the simple game of Hexpawn. Hexpawn machines don't think. They are just match boxes with colored beads inside and movement patterns on the outside. They don't consider strategy. They simply give a move based on the pattern of the nine-square board.

Basically, that's all AI are. Instead of match boxes, you can have neural nets, which are just pattern response that can be "taught" similar to "teaching" a Hexpawn machine. They don't think. Morals? They know no morals, only pattern recognition, and there have been cases where AIs have "learned" to cheat because it yields the same desired output. AI doesn't know it's cheating. It's just a machine that identifies and matches patterns.

Truth? AIs don't know truth. All they do are identify and respond to patterns. Give it bad data and it will give you bad output, but Garbage In, Garbage Out has been around longer than Hexpawn. Give AI a lie to learn by, and it will repeat that lie without question.

AI in religious practices? Don't. Just don't. A robotic minister is like the mechanical coin-operated priest in Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother, which absolves Moriarty on demand. Putting an AI in the pulpit is as bad as putting one of those Magic 8-Balls (tm) and makes about as much sense. Worse, it's a quick path to idolatry. Generating sermons by AI is just as bad, and you have no idea about the doctrine used to train the neural nets. Doctrine? What am I saying? An AI sermon writer would just regurgitate bits of sermons used to train it and give no thought to doctrine at all. It can't give any thought to doctrine.

Future of Humanity? I thought that was spelled out in the prophetic books of the bible. Impact on humanity is simply what we decide. Think of the Internet: All this knowledge at our disposal, and how many use it to watch cat videos? We can literally make AI into idols, mechanical figures that look like we want and say what we want, and who we willingly serve in the expectation that they will deliver what they cannot even do for themselves. At the end of the day, they are simply machines. Like any machine they do the task we make them to do.

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

Interesting however that ChristianForums does not have AI debating religious topics with humans or even debating other AI where each AI takes a given denomination's POV and compares one against the other to find the best (for example).

In other words human-vs-human discussion is still best

Give it time.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

I believe that your post is about Large Language Model "AI", which is not intelligence so much as advanced searches.

That's all we have right now. AGI is hypothetical, isn't it?

 

[The Liturgist]

Thanks for raising a really important issue.

Here is an AI summary of AI

Part 1 - The Image of God
We do affirm the nature of humanity made in the image and after the likeness of God. In a sense, being made in the image and after the likeness of God almost predestines that at some stage we would want to create things in the image and after the likeness of ourselves. The creativity of humanity in so many ways reflects the creativity of God. Images, statues, and robots have all done this in some way, and in a way, AI is simply another extension of that creativity.

Part 2 - Moral Agency
AI does not have moral agency. When a drunk drives a car, they do not get to avoid the moral agency question, but when AI drives the car, we are in some doubt as to where the moral agency resides; with the inventor, the manufacturer, the owner, or the person who gave it instructions for the journey. This moral agency question does need to be addressed, and I think fairly urgently.

Part 3 - Truth and Knowledge
Epistemology and AI are important, and it does ask the important question about how AI 'learns' anything. There is a destination I regularly drive to, as it is in a bit of a tricky spot to find, so I use Google Maps. The first couple of times it offered a route I didn't like, so I drove my preferred way, after a couple of times it realised my preference and now offers my preferred route. Is this AI learning, or is the AI tailoring its answers according to my perceived bias? One of the big questions is, can AI have an original thought?

Part 4 - AI in Religious Practice
I have tried Chatgpt a few times to write articles on some theological/religious practice issues. I think I could surmise that the results were adequate, if a little soulless and clearly showed results I was likely to be OK with. I asked a Muslim friend of mine to have a go with the same issues, and his results were equally soulless and better aligned with his tradition. I don't think we can suggest that AI can't write a homily, and indeed it may be better than some of the ones that we have heard from the human generation! I, for one, think we should resist the idea of using AI to replace ministers of the Sacraments, though I am sure that may offer an easy solution to a shortage of clergy.

Part 5 - The Future of Humanity
I think I would find greater comfort from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, who saw the alpha point and the omega point of humanity and all creation in God. I don't want to start asking if robots go to heaven?

Note that to get non-trivial results from ChatGPT requires non-trivial effort; you have to train a specific session for your requirements, and also do so in a manner which is aware of the unique aspects of communicating with that specific platform. Different AIs have different interaction styles; chatGPT for example is particularly, for want of a better word, chipper, but also is very clever and can do exquisite work if you feed it the right input. I also really like Grok, although Grok is not as much of a delight to interact with.

 

[The Liturgist]

That's all we have right now. AGI is hypothetical, isn't it?

Well that depends, if by AGI you mean a sort of omniscient system that dwarves our human intellects, then yes; also current systems have some alignment safeguards and aren’t allowed much direct access to I/O; there isn’t even a non-trivial way to get them to talk to each other. One literally has to copy and paste output much of the time when dealing with hosted services, and you’re not going to achieve a truly powerful AI on your own hardware.

 

[The Liturgist]

I believe that your post is about Large Language Model "AI", which is not intelligence so much as advanced searches.

Actually LLMs are more capable than you might realize; they’ve come a long way just in the past two years, and they were passing the Turing Test even three years ago.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Well that depends, if by AGI you mean a sort of omniscient system that dwarves our human intellects, then yes; also current systems have some alignment safeguards and aren’t allowed much direct access to I/O; there isn’t even a non-trivial way to get them to talk to each other. One literally has to copy and paste output much of the time when dealing with hosted services, and you’re not going to achieve a truly powerful AI on your own hardware.

This definition of AGI.

Artificial general intelligence - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[eleos1954]

Artificial intelligence raises profound theological questions, particularly concerning human identity, moral agency, and the nature of creation.

1. The Image of God – Many religious traditions, especially Christianity, emphasise that humans are created in the image of God. AI challenges this concept by introducing non-human intelligence that can mimic human reasoning and creativity.
2. Moral Agency – AI may lack consciousness and moral responsibility, yet it can make decisions that impact human lives. Some theologians argue that AI should not be considered morally accountable, as it does not possess free will or a soul.
3. Truth and Knowledge – AI-generated content raises concerns about epistemology—the study of knowledge. The opacity of AI algorithms makes it difficult to discern truth, which is particularly significant in theological discourse.
4. AI in Religious Practice – Some religious communities are exploring AI-powered tools for liturgical purposes, such as AI-generated sermons or robotic ministers. This raises questions about whether AI can truly participate in religious rituals.
5. The Future of Humanity – Some speculate that AI could lead to a technological singularity, where machines surpass human intelligence. This prompts theological reflection on the role of humanity in creation and whether AI could ever possess spiritual significance.

AI is a machine .... it is incapable of having "spiritual significance" .... it is not and never will be human. It is a tool and will be used for good things and bad things. God gives discernment to humans .... not machines.

 

[Clare73]

Artificial intelligence raises profound theological questions, particularly concerning human identity, moral agency, and the nature of creation.

1. The Image of God – Many religious traditions, especially Christianity, emphasise that humans are created in the image of God. AI challenges this concept by introducing non-human intelligence that can mimic human reasoning and creativity.
2. Moral Agency – AI may lack consciousness and moral responsibility, yet it can make decisions that impact human lives. Some theologians argue that AI should not be considered morally accountable, as it does not possess free will or a soul.
3. Truth and Knowledge – AI-generated content raises concerns about epistemology—the study of knowledge. The opacity of AI algorithms makes it difficult to discern truth, which is particularly significant in theological discourse.
4. AI in Religious Practice – Some religious communities are exploring AI-powered tools for liturgical purposes, such as AI-generated sermons or robotic ministers. This raises questions about whether AI can truly participate in religious rituals.
5. The Future of Humanity – Some speculate that AI could lead to a technological singularity, where machines surpass human intelligence. This prompts theological reflection on the role of humanity in creation and whether AI could ever possess spiritual significance.

AI simply makes what is out there available to everyone.

Does anyone think everything out there is reality and truth?

But it is the supreme engine for deception.

 

[timothyu]

Mankind is just jealous that its title of the original artificial intelligence may be usurped. Now we fear it will do to us what we did to God.

 

[KevinT]

Artificial intelligence raises profound theological questions, particularly concerning human identity, moral agency, and the nature of creation.

The issue that raises the most concern to me is this:

Exodus 20: “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them;

Are we creating an "image" of the human mind in the form of AI? When we stop thinking for ourselves or asking God for guidance, and instead just ask AI for guidance, is that different from "bowing down" to them?

Just something to think about.

KT

 

[RileyG]

This is not quite the case. AI, only works from the knowledge given to it by humans. All humans. It then filters that knowledge in the best way to benefit the recipient without prejudice, waying both sides of an issue, then introduce a kinder approach to the issue at hand.
Blessings

QFTW

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

But what about A1?

"It wasn't all that long ago that it was, 'We're going to have internet in our schools!' Now let's see A1 and how can that be helpful."

Education Secretary Linda McMahon confuses AI with A1, sauce brand capitalizes on blunder

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon confused AI with A1 while speaking during the ASU+GSV Summit, and the sauce brand capitalized on the moment.

www.usatoday.com