The season of Epiphany is a short one in 2024. The time for aha moments and breakthroughs in AI and Faith conversations is even shorter.
Seeking Wisdom, human and artificial
Epiphany is celebrated each year on January 6th, and churches reflect on the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2, which details when the Magi traveled over field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star. The Magi went on a journey following the Star (they were on the original Star Trek teehee), but Magi (or their common moniker “wise men”) really sought wisdom and understanding of cosmic purpose. How would a new king come about and what would they find under a star that signified a new king? How surprised they were to find the new king in a manger or in a ramshackle house in Bethlehem.
We are in the season seeking epiphanies as well in the technology world—of which my local church in Seattle is in the midst of—as technology companies race to create better Artificial Intelligence. The goal of our own trek towards Artificial Intelligence is the second word: intelligence.
So what is intelligence? According to Mo Gawdat a former Googler focused on AI (paraphrased), intelligence is awareness of your surroundings environment compounded with an ability to analyze and comprehend cause and effect of that surrounding environment.
- A child has intelligence when they understand cause and effect.
- A computer has intelligence when it understands cause and effect.
- But both would have wisdom when it comes to planning ahead and knowing what the next cause and effect would be in the future.
Think of the Magi, the wise men. People who are wise are those who see beyond the cause and effect in front of them and know what will happen next. And people who are wise perceive more causes and effects in front of them (scientific, historical, and sociological factors, for example) than those who are not. Think of the people who are wise in your life. They seem to see beyond the binary decisions that are often in front of us, and know the decisions beyond those and beyond those. That’s the goal of seeking wisdom.
So, at the most charitable level, AI is about people training computers to be wise so they can use their massive computational advantage over humans to predict what might happen further down the cause and effect continuum. Wisdom is fine to seek. Intelligence is fine to try to program. The problem is how do you get there, and what do you do with that wisdom when you have it.
Gifts that Uphold Human Dignity
The Magi followed a star because they believed that beyond the star was something wonderful. And so they started on their trek. When they arrived, they brought gifts, gifts that had significance: Gold represented kingship, frankincense was a fragrance used in worship, and myrrh was an embalming fluid (a portent of Jesus’ own death).
When I think of bringing gifts, I think of potluck dinners or lunches when everyone brings some dish from home to a common table. It can be chaotic: there can be casserole next to sushi next to chips and salsa, who knows what? The random nature is part of the fun. We bring our gifts to the pursuit of knowledge and each of our pursuits looks a little different, even if we are working out of the same cookbook together.
So I have to step again in the charitable and believe that there’s a special gift that AI can bring to our tables so long as the intent is to better all of us. AI has discovered new medicines and chemical compounds that we hadn’t come up with yet as humans. It has crunched massive datasets and led to new directions for climate justice, preservation of ancient scholarly texts, tracking spread of communicable diseases, and real-time translation. Anytime we have used a map program to find a better path, a chat bot on a website, or even a Wendy’s drive-thru attendant (upcoming!), we are using AI.
I believe there’s a gift that AI can bring us. There’s also a great calamitous concern, of course (we’ll touch on later in this series). Our advancements in AI should be gifts that uphold dignity, justice, and the betterment of humanity. We must be mindful of the consequences of our creations, ensuring they contribute positively to society and do not amplify our very human inequalities or harm.
Choosing a Better Path
Finally, we get to the end of the Magi story. It’s the last two lines, almost an afterthought to the saga, is that they return home, but do not return to Herod who is planning on killing Jesus once he has his GPS coordinates. They chose to go home by another way—they got a notification that “Google has found a better route”—and chose a better way.
Wisdom and intelligence help us choose a better way, both for our own lives, for our families lives, and for entire city planning, and national progress (which is frustratingly slow and sometimes backwards regression). We are called to forge new ethical pathways in AI development. This could mean prioritizing human well-being over profit, advocating for transparency, and being vigilant against biases and misuse. We must be open to divine guidance, constantly re-evaluating our course to ensure it aligns with our ethical and spiritual values.
And that does mean turning away from where AI ought not go, or to cease production of a learning model when it rips off artists and authors without compensation or recognition. We can do better than that. There is a better way forward.
Beyond Epiphany to epiphanies
Epiphany is not just a day when three Magi brought potluck gifts and then ran away. Epiphany was an entire journey seeking knowledge and choosing paths that gave life to the people and befuddlement to the empire.
Our engagement with AI should be marked with continuous epiphanies that redirect our energies in like fashion. We should constantly seek wisdom, offer our best ethical gifts, and be willing to alter our course for the greater good.
In 2024, the season of Epiphany is very short, less than 40 days until Lent begins. The season we will have before AI gets beyond the point of no return is short as well. What gifts can we bring to the conversation? What societal reckonings do we need too?
Your Turn
Thoughts?
Thanks for reading, commenting, subscribing, and sharing on social media.
(Image credit: DALL-E via ChatGPT, January 7 2024)
I am looking forward to your next installment on this topic. Specifically, how can we ensure the ethics of Jesus (as distinct from the “religion of Christianity”) are embodied within true artificial GENERAL intelligence as it is developed over the coming decade(s). I believe that is biggest challenge and, therefore, the most consequential and important potential contribution of Jesus’ teachings to date….possibly the final remaining opportunity to improve humankind. In that sense, it’s an exciting time to be a follower of Jesus.
I’d like to learn more about AI when used to create deep fakes.
At the close of SoFlo Wheelie Life the Magi’s journey, they go home a different way. They avoid Herod, who wants Jesus’ coordinates, and follow the divine nudge that says, “Take this route instead.”
Really meaningful post
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That title, “Faith and AI: The Shortest Epiphany,” makes you think a lot! Is the “epiphany” about AI becoming like a god, or about how our simple faith is actually better than complex tech? Maybe it means that even a smart AI can quickly understand human faith. It’s a deep idea, like finding a good deal at one of the top japanese used car dealers in japan, a surprising moment of realization. It makes you wonder what comes next for people and smart machines.
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A thoughtful, hopeful reflection that frames AI as a moral choice: gifts, pathways, and responsibility. It invites wisdom, restraint, and crossy road courage to choose a better, more humane future.
That’s a powerful reflection on AI and its potential impact. I especially appreciate the analogy to the Magi’s journey and choosing a better path. Thinking about navigating complex choices, it reminds me of trying to beat my best time in Snow Rider 3D – sometimes you’ve got to find a new route for optimal results! It’s a fun reminder that innovation requires constant adaptation and seeking better ways forward.
Thanks for this thoughtful post! I love how you connected the Magi’s journey for wisdom to modern AI breakthroughs. The idea of seeking cosmic purpose in both faith and technology is really fascinating.
This reads like a church bulletin mixed with a tech brochure, kinda all over the place. AI is cool, sure, but let’s not confuse seeking wisdom with preaching at us. Just stick to the point, yeah? howmanydudes is my favorite。
This whole AI and ethics thing is like a double-edged sword, right? We gotta keep it real and not let it mess with humanity while chasing tech advancements. Check out this free tool ai pdf to video that might help simplify some tasks—could be useful, you know?
Connecting Epiphany wisdom with AI logic is profound. Moral guidance is essential while pursuing algorithmic efficiency.
Love the Magi’s detour analogy. In this tech era, we truly need courage to find better ethical paths.
Seeking wisdom is a continuous journey. Thanks for the unique perspective on faith and technology. Very inspiring.
Mentioning AI’s impact on artists is timely. We need more dialogues on how tech can truly benefit humanity.
2024 is a crucial year. I hope we can build right values before AI reaches its tipping point.
This post linked the Magi quest for wisdom with AI development so well. It was inspiring when I read it last year. Ethical choices matter more than intelligence.
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Thought-provoking discussion! The intersection of faith and technology raises fascinating questions.
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That’s a powerful thought! It reminds me how often I second-guess GPS routes, sometimes to my benefit, sometimes not. It’s the same with life, isn’t it? We need to be open to guidance, wherever it comes from, and willing to re-evaluate. On a lighter note, it’s all about strategizing like in the Suika Game! Finding the best way to combine those fruits for maximum points. If you haven’t tried it, it’s surprisingly strategic and a fun little brain teaser!
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The night-time urban environment in soflo wheelie life looks awesome! The glowing lights, moving traffic, and city obstacles create such an exciting atmosphere while you’re trying to hold long wheelies. Love that immersive vibe!
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This was super helpful and easy to follow. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this thoughtful post! I love how you connected the Magi’s journey for wisdom to modern AI and faith discussions. The idea of seeking cosmic purpose in both areas is really interesting.
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