Idolatry, human significance, and AI

How should Anglicans feel about AI? But first: what the heck is it?

Our guests today tackle one of the toughest topics of our time head on, from both a theological and technical perspective.

What is AI? Is it unprecedented? What can AI currently, actually, do? Should Christians accept, or resist? 

As Christians, it’s often hard to know whether to embrace new technology. If we get worked up or freaked out, is it about the right things? Where might we still need to fill in gaps in our knowledge or our discipleship? Are we living in The Matrix? Or can we let the robots help, sometimes, and still insist on fully human lives?

Our guests today are Arlie Coles and the Rt. Rev. Dr. George Sumner.

Arlie is a lay Anglican from the Diocese of Dallas who writes about modern Episcopal history and polity. She is also a machine-learning researcher serving on General Convention’s Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property and a reporter for the Living Church.

Bishop George is retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas and former Principal of Wycliffe Theological Seminary.

The Rev. Dr. Matthew Olver, Executive Director of the Living Church, joins Amber Noel as co-host.

We talk about:

• How AI taps into our instincts for communication, mystery, and relationship.
• How this both increases its usefulness and gives us the creeps.
• What AI is good for and not good for (spoiler, not writing sermons).
• Pastoral concerns about spiritual influence, addiction, and human dignity.
• Whether we need an Anglican “Prayer Before Using AI.”
• Why you might want to go full Star Trek and rename your Alexa “Computer” so you’re less likely to mistake a tool for a person.

The forms and capacities of human tools are not neutral— a steak knife, an AR-15, and a Ouija board do not carry the same potential for moral or immoral use— but, like the idols of old, do AI tools, which have “screens but see not, algorithms but feel not,” receive the power and significance they have only from the power and significance we give them?

One of the biggest dangers of AI comes from one of humanity’s greatest gifts: language and its use in relationships.

We hope you enjoy the conversation.

From this episode:

Living Church articles on AI

“AI as Normal Technology” by Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor

Against the Machine by Paul Kingsnorth

Interview with Paul Kingsnorth and Ross Douthat about AI

Find Nathan Jennings’ 6-part preaching series on our online journal, Covenant

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Email us with a proposed "Prayer Before Using AI": ambernoel@livingchurch.org

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