The Church and AI: Staying Informed is More Crucial Than Ever (Part-Two)
Practical tips for being informed about (but not consumed by) the world of artificial intelligence.
In part one of this article, we explored why the Church must stay informed in a rapidly changing world in light of AI developments. In part two, we’re exploring how we might do that well.
How Can We Stay Informed?
The use of the term “AI” has reportedly quadrupled in 2023, resulting in its being named “Word of the Year” by dictionary publisher Collins.1 Artificial intelligence is rapidly approaching ubiquity, making it increasingly difficult for anyone to keep pace with lightspeed changes. For this reason, before we discuss the practical ways we can follow changes in the AI sphere, we must talk about a healthy methodology for approaching the topic. Here are two important considerations:
Be informed about AI, but not consumed by it.
Continually ask the “So What?” question.
Be informed about AI, but not consumed by it.
In part one, we discussed why we should keep an eye on advances in artificial intelligence. Healthy engagement with the general AI landscape is no bad thing, but it is important to have healthy boundaries and perspectives in place or risk becoming overwhelmed by the sheer torrent of data approaching entering the news space each day. As we approach something resembling an “information apocalypse,” where we are bombarded and overloaded with a range of legitimate, questionable and entirely fake news, we risk either becoming scared of the AI waters or drowning in them.
Neither is ideal! It’s better to learn how to swim and recognize our limits in the process. Very few (if any) of us will sense the Lord’s call to be experts in the intricate details of AI, and that’s ok. However, it is wise to have enough of an understanding to gauge where the wind is blowing or—to continue with our water analogy—to understand how the tides are moving and currents are flowing.
Continually ask the “So what?” question.
With so much AI-related content in the news at the moment, it can be easy to get lost in questions like, “How can AI automate my emails?” or the staple of Christian discussion, “Can/Should AI write my sermons for me?”
This isn’t wrong, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Instead, with AI news, the bigger question is, “So what?” Here are two examples:
SCENARIO 1 - Artificial intelligence can now recreate your voice with remarkable accuracy in multiple languages. So what?
AI might be able to take calls on your behalf.
It could open enormous opportunities for the Gospel, as sermons and other content can be translated relatively effortlessly into myriad languages.
On the other hand, the potential for fake news increases and in extreme scenarios, there is a heightened risk of scammers using the technology to pose as family members in supposed hostage situations to extort money. Such a situation isn’t scaremongering; it’s happening even as you read this article.2
SCENARIO 2 - Artificial intelligence can now find your location in photos. So what?
AI’s ability to locate someone from a photo may be beneficial in emergencies, affording authorities greater ability to find missing persons or quickly attend to accidents.
It could also raise significant privacy concerns. Jay Stanley is a senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union, and an NPR article captures his concerns:
Stanley worries that companies might soon use AI to track where you’ve traveled, or that governments might check your photos to see if you’ve visited a country on a watchlist. Stalking and abuse are also obvious threats, he says.3
On a cultural level, this may lead to fewer natural photos and more with artificial backgrounds, exacerbating an already notable societal disconnect and, at worst, creating a digital world further removed from reality.
There may also be implications for how organizations target markets with location-based advertising. Perhaps there’s a future where you take a picture, AI recognizes your location, and immediately sends you an ad saying, “Hey! Are you hungry? There’s a McDonald’s a few blocks away. Click here for directions.” Were this the case, the Church may consider utilizing this capability to advertise services but may find doing so presents ethical challenges.
Of course, we could look at countless other scenarios. However, the point should be clear: by asking the “So What?” question, we can look beyond the surface level and explore the broader possibilities and challenges of a particular development in AI.
Practical steps for staying informed.
Here are some practical tips and resources for keeping up to date with developments in artificial intelligence:
Use curated resources. Let someone else do the heavy lifting and give you a broad overview of what’s happening in the field. For example, we have a fortnightly “Round-Up” edition on Church and AI, or for something more extensive (and sometimes a little overwhelming), consider the excellent AI Tool Report newsletter.
Engage in community discussions. Because this field constantly evolves, consider meeting with a group semi-regularly to explore the church’s best response to the developments. This could be inside or outside of your specific church context. Contact me if you don’t feel you have anyone to connect with. I’d be very happy to help facilitate some discussions around AI if there is enough interest, and I hope to put together some seminars in the near future.
Use news apps to your advantage. A reasonably basic but criminally underused feature of news apps is the ability to follow particular topics. I follow “artificial intelligence” as a topic on my Google News app, meaning I can wade through specific AI-related content on my phone or computer quickly and easily from various sources.
Set limits on your reading. If you’re anything like me, you might find yourself diving down a rabbit hole that’s difficult to escape. Set clear boundaries to avoid this.
Think critically. AI is a booming field, meaning propaganda is rife. While asking the “so what?” question, also ask if there are any ulterior motives that might skew the news and proceed with caution.
Here is a case in point: early this month, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang boldly stated that artificial general intelligence may be attained in the next five years. On the other hand, Yann LeCun, the chief AI scientist at Meta, is not convinced. He recently noted the reality that “[If] you think AGI is in, the more GPUs you have to buy.” And who supplies those GPUs?
That’s right. Nvidia.
On the other hand, one might argue that LeCun is trying to appease shareholders himself. For this reason, we must be careful with what we read.
What have I missed?
Are there any particularly great sources that you go to for AI-related content? Is there any other advice you’d add to the list above? If so, be sure to comment below so we can all benefit from it!
Esther Addley, “‘AI’ Named Most Notable Word of 2023 by Collins Dictionary,” The Guardian, November 1, 2023, sec. Technology, accessed December 17, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/01/ai-named-most-notable-word-of-2023-by-collins-dictionary.
Justin Green, “Experts Warn of Rise in Scammers Using AI to Mimic Voices of Loved Ones in Distress,” ABC News, last modified July 7, 2023, accessed December 19, 2023, https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/experts-warn-rise-scammers-ai-mimic-voices-loved/story?id=100769857.
Geoff Brumfiel, “Artificial Intelligence Can Find Your Location in Photos, Worrying Privacy Experts,” NPR, December 19, 2023, sec. Technology, accessed December 20, 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/12/19/1219984002/artificial-intelligence-can-find-your-location-in-photos-worrying-privacy-expert.