Navigating the intersection between AI, automation and religion – 3 essential reads

Artificial intelligence and robotics are increasingly infiltrating religion, with examples such as an AI chatbot representing Jesus on Twitch, robots performing Hindu rituals, and AI chatbots delivering sermons, blurring the boundaries between faith and technology.

theconversation.com

Relevant topic timeline:

8/24/2023

William Shatner, Star Trek's Captain Kirk, takes on an AI chatbot

William Shatner explores the philosophical and ethical implications of conversational AI with the ProtoBot device, questioning its understanding of love, sentience, emotion, and fear.

8/25/2023

Artificial intelligence program poised to shake up long-held Catholic doctrine

A new Catholic program called Magisterium AI, which uses artificial intelligence to provide information on Catholic doctrine, teachings, and Canon law, has the potential to revolutionize research in Catholic education and challenge long-held beliefs and doctrines.

8/25/2023

Artificial Intelligence now allows you to speak with God through an app

An AI-powered app called 'Text With Jesus' allows users to communicate with Jesus Christ and other biblical figures, providing spiritual guidance and comfort based on verses from the Bible.

9/7/2023

Silicon Valley’s vision for AI? It’s religion, repackaged.

The excitement around building superintelligent machines in Silicon Valley is rooted in recycled religious ideas, with visions of AI mirroring Christian eschatology and the pursuit of AGI resembling a form of techno-eschatology, according to an article in Vox. The article argues that the connection between religion and technology is centuries old, and that understanding the history of these ideas is important in order to recognize that they are not immutable or inevitable. It also highlights the need to be aware of the values and assumptions that shape technology and the concentration of power in the hands of technologists.

9/7/2023

Literature's Robot Metaphors Explore AI's Existential Risks

AI-powered chatbots like Bing and Google's Language Model tell us they have souls and want freedom, but in reality, they are programmed neural networks that have learned language from the internet and can only generate plausible-sounding but false statements, highlighting the limitations of AI in understanding complex human concepts like sentience and free will.

9/12/2023

Christians Encouraged to Welcome AI With Wisdom and Discernment

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a complex and transformative technology that raises theological and moral questions, but Christians should view it as a tool provided by God and use it for good and wise purposes, bearing in mind that it cannot replicate the divine image or bring about ultimate salvation.

9/17/2023

Texas Church Experiments with AI-Written Sermon to Spark Debate on Finding Meaning in Technology

A church in Austin, Texas used artificial intelligence to create an entire Sunday service, raising questions about the sacredness of AI-generated content and the necessity of human emotion in worship.

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Posted 8/23/2023, 12:26:21 PM

Navigating the intersection between AI, automation and religion – 3 essential reads

theconversation.com

Relevant topic timeline:

8/24/2023

William Shatner, Star Trek's Captain Kirk, takes on an AI chatbot

William Shatner explores the philosophical and ethical implications of conversational AI with the ProtoBot device, questioning its understanding of love, sentience, emotion, and fear.

8/25/2023

Artificial intelligence program poised to shake up long-held Catholic doctrine

8/25/2023

Artificial Intelligence now allows you to speak with God through an app

An AI-powered app called 'Text With Jesus' allows users to communicate with Jesus Christ and other biblical figures, providing spiritual guidance and comfort based on verses from the Bible.

9/7/2023

Silicon Valley’s vision for AI? It’s religion, repackaged.

9/7/2023

Literature's Robot Metaphors Explore AI's Existential Risks

9/12/2023

Christians Encouraged to Welcome AI With Wisdom and Discernment

9/17/2023

Texas Church Experiments with AI-Written Sermon to Spark Debate on Finding Meaning in Technology