Everything that civilization has to offer is a product of human intelligence; we cannot predict what we might achieve when this intelligence is magnified by the tools that AI may provide, but the eradication of war disease, and poverty would be high on anyone’s list. Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last. —Stephen Hawking
Along with Facebook Microsoft, and Apple, these companies are in a race to become our “personal assistant”. They want to wake us up in the morning, have their artificial intelligence software guide us through our day, and never leave our sides. —Franklin Foer
This is nothing. In a few years, that bot will move so fast you’ll need a strobe light to see it. Sweet dreams. —Elon Musk
When fake news meets artificial intelligence, the risk is robots will lie, leaving us with fake intelligence and artificial news, or exactly where we are now. —Jim Vibert
By far, the greatest danger of artificial intelligence is that people conclude too early that they understand it. —Eliezer Yudkowsky
Some people worry that artificial intelligence will make us feel inferior, but then, anybody in his right mind should have an inferiority complex every time he looks at a flower. —Alan Kay
The above quotes are a small sampling of thoughts about AI from transhumanists and sceptics. I find myself uncertain where to place my stake on this belief continuum as yet, and seek greater understanding on some of the effects, experienced and as yet unseen, on society as a whole, and the Church in particular.
I first heard about AI from articles and news features more than 10 years ago, explaining that AI technology was about to explode upon us, and that whoever won the battle for AI supremacy would rule the world. One of the foremost experts on AI was Ray Kurzweil, a futurist and inventor who was known for his predictions about technological advancements. He spoke of the current state of AI, called Narrow AI, and the potential development to General AI, where programs could understand, learn, and apply knowledge; to Super AI, where technology reached the “Singularity,” when technology becomes self-aware, and reaches an ability for continuous self-improvement and evolve beyond our control. He predicted this final stage would occur around 2045.[1]
Human Minds, Machine Imitations
Countering Kurzweil are those who say that AI was designed to imitate human intelligence, and so far, the complex human mind is not yet fully understood (or likely to be in the near future) and will provide a limited model for computing capabilities. Gary Smith points out in AI Delusion, “Human minds are not computers, and computers are not human minds.” [2]
For a number of years, I have periodically spoken to bots such as “Siri” and “Alexa,” with results both satisfying and frustrating. Recently, however, AI capabilities have expanded at an unprecedented rate. I downloaded ChatGPT, and began to interact with it. I was amazed at the capabilities it had, and the friendly, folksy interaction, as if I were talking to a real, and very knowledgeable individual, who could speak to me in any voice I wanted to hear.
Here are some excerpts from recently published journalists: “Companion apps like Replika, Blush and Nomi have been around for years. The business really took off in 2024, especially among women. Users are having ‘profound committed relationships,’ said Rita Popova, the chief product officer of Replika and Blush.”[3] A recent survey by the Match online dating service found that 16% of singles – and a third of Gen Z respondents – have “engaged with AI as a romantic companion,” said Mashable.[4] “People are falling in love with their chatbots,” said Neil McArthur at the Conversation. “People know that these “lovers” aren’t real, yet they don’t care! They seem to enjoy this dystopian “intimate companionship” above the intricate realities of a real relationship. This will change human psychology in ways we have never experienced before.”[5] One commentator observed that when you are talking to a bot, you’re actually alone, whether you feel like it or not.
While we cannot yet envision what upcoming realities and infrastructure await us, many have expressed concern that we will become wholly distracted by programs and algorithms that are not aligned with our beliefs and focus. I have some questions that only time can answer, but I worry that when the answers become apparent, the speed of change will make it too late for debate. Are we surrendering our libertarian freedom, which is the ability of the will to refrain or not refrain from a given moral action and discarding our responsibility? As we interact with AI throughout the day, perhaps more than with humans, what effect will it have on our ability to navigate complex human relationships? Could AI “companions” reduce loneliness but lead to more social isolation and emotional dependence on bots?
AI comes as a two-edged sword. I believe that there is no doubt that AI will have a profound positive impact on society, giving us increased productivity and efficiency, improved healthcare, education, and problem solving, as just a few examples. It can also decide on the information we receive, and what bias to place on it. It could have negative societal impacts that cannot be imagined yet. Ray Kurzweil, in his book, The Age of Spiritual Machines, proposes the “Law of Accelerating Returns” which essentially states that the rate of change in a wide variety of evolutionary systems tends to increase exponentially.[6]
A Christian Response to a Technological Age
As for a Christian context, I make some observations that will exhibit a current and future challenge. AI operates within well-defined, programmed boundaries that cannot grasp human complexity, emotions, or divine wisdom. For all its brilliance, AI cannot comprehend spiritual wisdom, insight, and revelation. This is given by the Holy Spirit, and cannot be apprehended by the most skillful programmers. Our spiritual life in Christ is a divine gift, and remains irreplaceable in our pursuit of truth, understanding and sacramental living. Any “moral compass” that AI possesses is determined by those who program it, and any “wisdom” is data-driven and not spiritually discerned – knowing not only what to do, but why and when to do it. This includes worship and adoration. AI can analyze emotion, but not experience it. It cannot access the heart of God, and does not know reverence, grace, or love.
The Church has struggled with “technology” and culture for millennia. In the past 500 plus years, the faithful have dealt with the consequences of the printing press, translation of scripture, theological change, radio, television, the internet and multimedia. Each has brought cultural, moral, and spiritual challenges that have divided the church and changed it, for good and bad. Wars were fought and the devout were martyred. This “push-pull” dynamic remains as a constant to this day, and will likely continue for the foreseeable future. Cultural changes will continue to influence the church, perhaps dramatically so, resulting in many divergent responses.
One of the “new technologies” (if you will), that the early church contended with was the “iconoclastic controversy.” Proponents of icon use opined that icons were not idols, because they were not worshipped. Rather, they were venerated, and highly valued or revered as a means to reflect on God and to be drawn into his presence. Opponents declared that the use of icons violated the second commandment (no idols or graven images), and as such should be forbidden by the Church. This tension lasted for centuries until 843 AD, when Empress Theodora gave official restoration and normalization for the use of icons in the Byzantine Church. To this day, icons are used in varying degrees for reflection, contemplation, and understanding. Icons, for centuries, served to edify the masses of faithful who were unable to read. Spiritual understanding came from oral teaching, accompanied by relevant icons as visual aids in comprehension. Over one thousand years later, the western church remains divided on this controversy for the same reasons that were debated prior to the decision of the eastern church in 843 AD. The church’s response to new technologies over the past two millennia has been far from united and free of schism. As technology rapidly advances, I do not anticipate cohesion as denominations and faith traditions grapple with the challenges. The speed of change may demand hurried responses, and not facilitate a careful theological reaction.
Contemplation in the Digital Desert
In the early church, monks traversed into the desert to flee the constant chatter and distractions of the Roman world. The most well-known, Anthony the Great, moved into the Egyptian desert circa 270 AD, and became the father and founder of Desert Monasticism. By the time of Anthony’s death, thousands of monks and nuns had been drawn into the desert to live their lives by Anthony’s example, steeped in quiet meditation, contemplation and prayer. Their influence on the Church has been great to this day. The monastic revivals of the Middle Ages looked to the Desert Fathers for inspiration and guidance. The Western Rule of St. Benedict was strongly affected by the Desert Fathers. Some scholars today see the Methodist Revival being influenced by the Desert movement.[7] While I do not commend anyone running off to the nearest desert to live as a hermit, there are lessons and comparisons to be made. Today’s Christians (and particularly contemplatives) must find a desert within a storm. AI amplifies the flow of content – texts, images, voices – producing an unending chatter. Silence becomes an act of resistance. Our wilderness is a refusal to be perpetually online, a decision to step away at times, from the stream of generated data and information, and to practice the slow, quiet, and patient art of contemplation.
What should our response to technology be? I believe that a good start is Christian community. Being connected with a group of fellow believers in a church as a whole, and in service as well as participation in smaller groups for study, friendship, and accountability. Discipleship ministry is invaluable in this regard.
The Contemplative Order of the Sons of the Holy Cross, to which I belong, is a religious order that “exists to call the church to a more profound prayer vision in a culture and time in which many are much too busy to ‘be still and know that I am God.’”[8] It draws its members into a prayerful and contemplative vision and faith practice through five Rules of Life: Prayer, Study, Friendship, Sacraments, and Service. The spiritual friendship focusses on mutual growth, in faith and love, with a shared pursuit of spiritual goals and commitment to support each other’s relationship with God. Organizations such as this can provide an antidote to and shelter from a pervasive digital world. In a time of extraordinary acceleration, there is often a lack of depth, wisdom and insight on our faith journey. The contemplative’s task is to inhabit precisely what cannot be simulated: wonder, reverence, the capacity to receive existence as a gift.
Contemplation comes from the Latin word “contemplatio” which conveys the idea of purifying one’s heart to perceive God in ever-deepening ways. At its heart, contemplation is less about withdrawal than about attention. In an age of distraction, attention itself becomes a sacred act, and invites us to live slower, quieter, and more attentively. The contemplative practice is oriented toward silence, reflection, prayer, and deep presence. Contemplative practice has been described as a steady gaze of the soul upon the God who loves us, and the opening of a person’s spirit to the indwelling Spirit of Christ.
Our faith provides a context to make sense of AI. We need spiritual wisdom to be able to assess how AI impacts and changes us. Let us remember that God’s grace is always with us and always enough. He saved us from sin and redeemed our lives. His grace is not a call from responsibility, but rather an invitation to the work of righteousness.
Practices for a Faithful Digital Life
We cannot remove ourselves from society and live a remote existence, untouched by the constant “chatter” and responsibilities of daily life, as did the Desert Fathers. The task before us is not a rejection of AI, nor surrendering ourselves to it uncritically. There are practices that can echo the monastic spirit but adapted to the digital wilderness. These practices can keep our ship of faith in calmer waters, guided with a reliable compass. As contemplatives, we can resist the reduction of life to data, and stay open to the fullness of reality. Digital fasting – periods of withdrawal from screens and generated content; Sacred attention – choosing moments each day to attend deeply without distraction; Community of presence – gathering with others to share and achieve spiritual goals, supporting one another in faith and prayer; Discernment in technology use – by asking not only “what does this tool do?”, but “what does it do to me, to my attention, to my soul?” These responses will assist us to humanize our use of technology, explore friendships in meaningful ways, build our faith and keep our apologetics strong.
In the end, the contemplative life does not offer withdrawal from the world, but a deeper gift to it, by reminding us that life is more than information, more than utility, more than simulation. It reminds us that truth cannot be reduced to data, nor love to algorithms, nor hope to prediction. In every age, the Church’s task is not to reject new tools, but to discern how to remain human in their midst.
[1] Ray Kurzweil, The Singularity Is Near (New York: Viking, 2005).
[2] Gary Smith, The AI Delusion (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018).
[3] Megan Morrone, “Replika Exec: AI Friends Can Improve Human Relationships,” Axios, November 8, 2023.
[4] Anna Lavine, “Singles Using AI to Date Up 300 Percent from Last Year, Says Match,” Mashable, June 10, 2025.
[5] Sabrina Moreno, “Exclusive: 18% of Single Virginians Have Taken on AI Lovers,” Axios, July 2025.
[6] Kurzweil, The Age of Spiritual Machines.
[7] Douglas Burton-Christie, The Word in the Desert: Scripture and the Quest for Holiness in Early Christian Monasticism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993).
[8] Robert Steele, OSHC Foundations, adapted from the OSHC Handbook and website “About Us” page (internal discussion paper).
Dwight Watts served for over 3 decades in Federal enforcement and intelligence, retiring as a Senior Executive. He remains active in church activities and groups and continues studies in varied areas of personal interest, with a faith-based worldview. He is a member of The Contemplative Order of the Sons of the Holy Cross, an Anglican-based men’s religious order. He resides in Kelowna, British Columbia, with his wife.