Today we are posting an article from our friend Paul Steinbrueck, CEO of OurChurch.com. We’ve posted other articles from Paul in the past and we always enjoy his insights on ministry related topics:
Here are Paul’s thoughts on AI:
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last 3 months (in which case you probably won’t get this email), you’ve probably noticed AI (artificial intelligence) is all over the news.
Everyone seems to have an opinion on it.
And opinions range from giddy as a schoolgirl…
“Artificial intelligence will be the defining technology of the 21st century. It has the potential to revolutionize every aspect of our lives, from healthcare to transportation, and unlock new frontiers of human knowledge and creativity.” – Sundar Pichai
To those who make Eyore the Donkey look whimsical…
“The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.” -Stephen Hawking
So, who is right?
With any tool, the more powerful the tool is, the greater its potential to be used for either good or evil. A knife can dice onions or kill people… A car can take you to beautiful places or kill people… Nuclear power can create electricity to better people’s lives or, you guessed it, kill people.
In all likelihood, AI will dramatically increase productivity, which will save time and increase income or impact for those who learn how to use it. However, we are already seeing AI used by students to try to cheat on tests and papers, by criminals to create “deep fakes” to extort people, and that’s just scratching the surface.
So, what are we to do?
Here are three things I’m doing:
- Learn about AI. Learn what AI can and can’t do. Learn about where AI is already being used. Read a wide range of opinions about AI.
- Experiment with AI. ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool right now – https://chat.openai.com/ Create an account. Ask it to do things. See for yourself what it seems to be good at and where it drops the ball. Check out other tools too.
- Discuss AI with others. There are real ethical debates about the use of AI. It’s good to hear different people’s ideas on them. It’s good to share your own ideas and let people push back on them. You can discuss AI and more in the OurChurch.Com Facebook Group. And for a discussion more focused on AI, check out the AI for Church Leaders FB group.
As always, we appreciate Paul’s insight.
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