A number of years ago, I heard a speaker state something to the effect that a person with a high IQ might not end up being successful in various situations due to a low EQ. At that point, I was familiar with the concept of IQ, but EQ was something new to me. The concept of EQ is both derived from and different from IQ. IQ is the abbreviation for “Intelligence Quotient,” a figure generated through an “IQ test” that seeks to quantify a person’s ability to reason and solve problems. While these tests label such abilities as “intelligence,” thinkers have also noted that people perceive and process information in various ways and thus there are also other types of “intelligence.” One such example is “emotional intelligence,” which is our ability to understand and manage our emotions as well as understand the emotions of those around us. While the term EQ technically abbreviates “Emotional Quotient,” this term is often used as a reference to one’s emotional intelligence in general. Thus, the speaker’s point was that it is not enough for a person to be able to remember and analyze things (high IQ), as someone also needs to be able to understand what’s going on inside of himself/herself and others (high EQ).
The past few years have seen people talk about yet another type of intelligence: Artificial Intelligence (AI). Some conversations about AI have been more in the realm of IQ, seeking to understand it, while others have been more in terms of EQ, in terms of how people feel about it or are responding to it. There is yet another type of intelligence needed in these conversations: Theological Intelligence (TI). Such intelligence moves us from simply understanding what AI is and what it can do, to considering how our theological beliefs derived from the Bible should influence how we approach and use it. This post aims to offer some thoughts from the realm of TI about AI. Before doing so, though, I think it is important to clarify what exactly it is we are talking about in terms of AI.
What Is AI?
The various definitions of AI that I found describe it as using machines or computers to do things that seem to involve human intelligence. Such activities would include learning, reasoning, problem solving. It should be noted that machines are simulating human intelligence in doing these things rather than exhibiting it. Within the field, there is discussion of AI in a “narrow” or “weak” sense and a “strong” sense. Narrow or weak AI is able to do particular tasks that it is designed to do while strong AI would involve its ability to learn and adapt to do new activities and solve new problems. In my reading, current AI is confined to the narrow or weak sphere and there is debate about whether strong AI could ever really be developed.
We’ve been using AI for years in forms like Siri and Alexa, predictive texts in web searches or emails, and in the recommendations generated by Netflix and Amazon. I grew up playing video games, and whenever I was playing a computer opponent, I was competing against AI. A newer form that sparked a lot more attention on AI was ChatGPT, which is a form of what is called a Large Language Model (LLM) that is able to generate text. This happens through giving it many examples to “learn” from and then generating requested text in light of the vast data it has “learned” from.
How Do People Feel About It?
Some people are very interested and excited about AI, while others are very concerned about it. As Tony Reinke points out in his intriguing book God, Technology, and the Christian Life, the heart of all technology is to amplify our abilities, allowing us to do more things, do things faster, and/or do things better than we could in our own strength. Thus, technology is not just computers but also shovels! Just as shovels can be used to dig further faster but also to hurt and kill others, so a technology like AI would seem to expand our abilities in both good ways and bad ways.
A benefit from AI is its potential to save time and energy on various tasks that may have seemed to only be possible by a person. For example, rather than spending hours researching a topic, one can do a simple search and get much of that data. Rather than spending a lot of time on a mindless task of organizing various pieces of data, AI can take care of that for us. That additional time could allow us to spend more time with people or doing various tasks that can’t be replicated by machines. These tools also allow for someone who is unable to afford human assistance or unable to find it because of remote locations to effectively have research assistance or people to proofread and edit their works; it expands not just our ability but the number of people who are able to do various tasks.
At the same time, though, AI can be used to pass along false information, either unintentionally through repeating a piece of data that it finds that is false or intentionally through the particular information that is supplied for it to “learn” from. Others are concerned about AI making it easier for students to cheat on their assignments; it could make us lazier or lead to a lessening of knowledge and abilities. Others have noted it will put some people out of work, which could not just have financial impact but also affect mental health. There is also the recognition that past technology that has been said to “save us time and energy” has not led us (especially in America) to spend less time working but in many ways has seemed to increase the amount of time that we work.
How Should Christians Relate to It?
Theological Intelligence would involve the recognition not just that there is a God but also that there is a spiritual realm and spiritual warfare happening in our midst. I believe such awareness should lead us neither to be afraid of AI nor naive about it but rather seek to utilize it to further God’s purposes in redemption and to bring Him honor and glory.
Theological Intelligence tells us not to be afraid about AI because it recognizes that God exists and is active in the world. God created the world, including the humans who design AI, and nothing happens outside of His knowledge and control. God is not afraid or intimidated by AI, as if its misuse will jeopardize His plan and purposes. God made the world for His own glory and will glorify Himself through AI in the face of the attempts by humans or spiritual forces to honor themselves and dishonor God. In fact, what is meant for evil, God is able to work out for good. I’m sure some designers and developers of AI do so not in honor of God but in defiance of God, viewing humans as the measure of all things and technology as the savior of the world’s problems. God’s sovereignty not only means that He will not be dethroned by their work but also that He will actually use their work as part of His plan to glorify Himself. Even if (and this is a big if!) the machines become sentient and take over the world, we know that is not the end of the story – we know the end of the story and it is that God reigns and rules. So, don’t be afraid or discouraged by it! In fact, recognize it can be used as part of the process where God restores people back into relationship with Himself and restores people back into the life that He designed us for.
At the same time, we should not be naive about AI. We should recognize the reality that the evil one takes all things and tries to use them as part of his battle against God. The printing press has been used by God to spread His word, as has radio, television, and the internet. All those items have also been used to spread lies about God and to spread visions of truth, beauty, and goodness that defies God’s intention. AI can and will be used similarly. It will not just be used to dishonor God but also to dehumanize the crown of His creation – humans! We should be on guard not just against the way that others may use AI against God’s purposes, but we should also be aware of potential ways that our use of it may cause us to forget God or elevate humans over Him.
In the next post, I’ll continue the discussion of Theological Intelligence about Artificial Intelligence by exploring what it might look like to utilize AI in a manner to further God’s purposes in redemption and to bring Him honor and glory.
Questions about the Bible or theology? Email them to Pastor Brian at Theology@WeAreFaith.org. You can also email to be added to the list that receives weekly emails with our blog posts.
