I have just finished a book by a man who spent 40 years living off grid by a loch in the Scottish Highlands, getting as much of the food and other resources he needed from the land as he could. He never used a computer, let alone the internet, and didn’t possess any kind of phone, let alone a mobile phone or smartphone. This was not a lifestyle to romanticise, as it was incredibly hard work and he nearly died several times, but despite this the AI revolution sometimes makes me want to head for the hills in a similar way.
This man, who became known as ‘the hermit of Treig’, is very open about the fact that that he interacts with people fairly often, travels by train or hitchhikes, visits the supermarket every now and then, and friends order things for him online. He benefits from consumer society and lives the sort of privileged – if extremely harsh – existence that is only possible if the majority of people stay in towns and villages, leaving the lochside largely undisturbed.
We seem to be in a similar position with Artificial Intelligence. All of us already benefit, whether we realise it or not, from AI tools and will benefit even more from them in the coming years. More accurate medical diagnosis, administrative efficiency, automated analysis of complex data…there are aspects of life that are definitely enhanced by AI. If we head for the hills, so to speak, in relation to AI we are likely to still benefit from it from time to time, and may find ourselves seeking AI solutions in the future via family members or friends.
Using AI in Church Life
Many church leaders are increasingly using AI to help them cope with the demands of their role. This assistance may take the form of creating artwork to advertise events, translation during a service, or taking the minutes of a meeting. What about using AI to help with research for a sermon, turning sermon notes into Bible study questions, or write prayers? How do we discern which uses are helpful and which cross the line into lazy thinking, abdicating responsibility or leaving ourselves open to inaccuracy and unhelpful influences?
Is AI the equivalent of Moses delegating responsibilities when his father-in-law raised the issue of potential burnout (Exodus 18:14-26)? Or is using this technology more like the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), or building an alliance with the enemy (Isaiah 31:1) – a collaboration that will inevitably end in strife? As usual, the answer is somewhere between the two, and the solutions are not always clear cut. Nevertheless, there are biblical principles that we can draw on to navigate these tensions.
Last week at the Keswick Convention John Wyatt and I explored AI from several different angles: the image of God, our creation mandate, life in the Church, and the perspective of those who are vulnerable.
In a church setting we will need to think carefully about what transparency and accountability look like with respect to AI. For example, being a truth teller might well involve letting people know when we have used an AI tool to create new content. As the appointed leaders of the church, clergy must also find ways of overseeing and taking responsibility for the production of AI-created or curated content.
We also need to think about human dignity – not just respecting personal data, but asking how can these technologies be redeemed and transformed so that they encourage and enhance our communal life and spiritual wellbeing? How can they help us love God, and love our neighbours as much as we love ourselves? For example, some charities are using AI to help vulnerable people fill in the many forms they are often given to complete. Finally, there is need for spiritual discernment in our use of AI tools in the church. Does using AI to produce Bible study questions, or creating prayers of intercession about current news stories, enhance our spiritual life? Most would say a define no to the latter, but the first might be a matter for experimentation, being honest with oneself about what has been achieved in terms of saving time as well as serving the Church.
As with any ethical issue, biblical principles do not always lead to black and white practical guidelines, but lead us to consider the options and explore what works best in our local context. Many of these principles are set out in a set of guidelines and an adaptable church AI policy document recently published by the AI Christian Partnership, an organisation that links a number of groups and expert individuals who work on this topic.
The options of engaging with AI are not limited to the extremes of heading for the hills or living an almost entirely virtual life. Most of us will find ourselves in the middle, ignorant of some things but informed about or affected by others, with our own unique set of opportunities and challenges.