Introduction to AI
Okay so this might be your first time considering the use of AI in your ministry or church. Maybe you're not even sure what good it might be, or perhaps you're even concerned about the potential for abuse or even idolatry.
So let's first address the most serious topic:
Does AI even have a place in God's kingdom?
On 21st March 2023, Bill Gates declared that a new age had clearly begun, the age of AI. As important an advancement as the smartphone, the Internet, and countless other technological leaps that went before, artificial intelligence has set the world abuzz with both anticipation and fear of the new unknown.
When any new wave of global excitement appears, it is very common for the church to divide into two camps: those who get caught up in the excitement, and those who draw up a conservative backlash against it. But instead we ought to see technology in the same way we see other resources such as money, culture, education, music: that it is a powerful tool in the hands of either good or evil men, as a means to promote the good or evil that they do. But it must not be glorified either as a great good nor as a great evil itself.
The world may hail AI as a saviour to many of our problems, but we know that Jesus is the only true saviour. He is the Lord over all creation, and therefore all created advancements must ultimately serve Him. It is for this reason that all technology—including AI—can certainly serve God's kingdom.
How can I use AI in a simple way?
It's important to remember that AI is already incredibly broad in what is possible, but some of the most common use cases are around conversational AI (like ChatGPT) and image generation (like Bing Creator or Midjourney).
On 1st May 2023, my wife and I had just finished running a one-week school of worship, and we were unsure what to do next. So I brought up ChatGPT, typed in our situation and asked simply what would be some good ideas. We were amazed at the creative solutions offered:
Follow-up Advanced Sessions
How to Establish a Network
Mentorship Programs
Developing Online Courses
Workshops as a Continuation Series
Annual Conferences or Festivals
Training Manuals or Books
Feedback and Evaluation Sessions
Partnerships with Other Religious Institutions
I have included just the main points, but each idea included explanation and examples. The list was extensive and inspiring, leaving us feeling as if we'd just attended a full brainstorming session condensed into the space of a minute.
If you want to get your hands dirty with AI in this way, the simplest thing is to sign up for a free ChatGPT account and then start asking, well, anything! Read on with this blog for more ideas and advice.
