© By Manuel M. Melgoza

chaptersbymanuelmelgoza.com

October 18, 2024

INTRODUCTION

A podcast host recently said that the reasons government authorities give to justify regulating Artificial Intelligence are not the main ones; rather, those politically powerful figures fear that “AI” will uncover the truth behind their prior malfeasance and misfeasance, and would expose the wrongdoers. The conclusion seems reasonable. But, does it implicitly assume that AI will generate and distribute true information, and only truth? Depending on the answer, the stakes for America and the world are astronomical.

Quantum Computing is also abruptly emerging on the world scene. What is it? Does it relate to AI? A quantum computer is described as one that takes advantage of the quantum properties of qubits to perform calculations extremely quickly compared to conventional computers. It can crack cryptographically encrypted data and is capable of solving many problems astronomically faster.[1] Quantum computing has been portrayed as “AI on steroids.”

“Over next 4 yrs, AI will dominate society like the Internet did. . . . nothing will be the same – [it will be] geometrically more advanced technology [than today]. . . whoever controls AI going forward will rule the world.”[2]

If a friend told you he/she did AI research into whether God exists and who created the physical world,-would you want to know their answers? If you got the friend’s answers, would you believe AI or Scriptural sources? Would unfavorable answers shake your faith?

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (“AI”)?

“These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith.” 2 Timothy 3:8

What is intelligence as it is used in the term Artificial Intelligence?  Is it like the term Intelligent Design?

Intelligence is the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations; to reason; to apply knowledge to manipulate one’s environment or to think abstractly by objective criteria (such as tests); mental acuteness. Artificial means humanly contrived; man-made; caused or produced by a human and especially social or political agency; lacking in natural or spontaneous quality; imitation, sham. Counterfeit?

The term Intelligent Design differs. Intelligent Design is a secular theory that matter, the various forms of life, and the world were created by a designing intelligence (not necessarily the God of the Greek/Hebrew Bible). Evaluating AI entails fundamental questions. Does AI have a “nature” (a creative and controlling force in the universe)?”

Humans have a dual nature[3]– a human, sinful nature – and a divine nature.[4] Can one conclude that AI has the same dual nature? God’s divine nature is described in Scripture.

“He is the God who made the world . . . Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.” Acts 17:24

For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth . . . 2 Samuel 7:28

“The very essence of your words is truth. Psalm 119:160 He will rule with mercy and truth. Isaiah 16:5 I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my word. . .  Isaiah 45:23 For I say only what . . . is completely truthful. John 8:26 . . . “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. John 14:17 And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son . . . And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony.” 1 John 5:6

In contrast, is truth within AI’s nature? How can one know? Was Artificial Intelligence not “created” by man? If AI is/was created by flawed man, on what basis can one reasonably conclude that AI will always communicate truth, and only truth? Do we merely assume that it will? What assurances does one have?

Evidence already exists that AI does not unwaveringly generate truthful results. In the legal arena, for example:

“AI has the potential to do more harm than good. For example, the possibility of hallucinations (the phenomenon by which AI chatbots may confidently provide false information in response to a prompt) can jeopardize the accuracy of a lawyer’s work.” [5]

Recent publications sound similar alarms. Frank Landymore writes, in the September 28, 2024 issue of Futurism[6]:

“Beware the smart ones: they seem to have all the answers, but can also weave the most convincing lies. . . . New research suggests that . . . AI chatbots are actually becoming less trustworthy, because they’re more likely to make up facts . . . . The study, published in the journal Nature, examined some of the leading commercial LLMs in the industry . . . . According to the researchers, some of the biggest BS-ers were OpenAI’s GPT-4 and o1, which would answer almost any question thrown at them. But . . . none of them could reach a level of 60 percent accuracy for the easiest questions, the study said. . . . “It’s getting better at pretending to be knowledgeable.”

In the political arena, a recent publication reports:

“State lawmakers want to crack down on artificial intelligence in elections, as Democrats consider it a potentially devious election meddling tool. At least 26 states have passed or are considering laws to restrict campaigns from using AI to communicate in their messaging, and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., warns it is being “used to confuse — and even suppress — voters,” Axios reported. ” . . . The most high-profile AI election case came in January at the New Hampshire primary, where a President Joe Biden AI voice urged Democrats not to vote in the state’s primary. . . .”[7]

Scripture repeatedly warns about such deceptive events, and instructs us to be vigilant and skeptical.

“Which of their idols has ever foretold such things? . . . Who can verify that they spoke the truth? Isaiah 43:9 But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching (‘deeper truths,’ as they call them—depths of Satan, actually).” Revelation 2:24

What about love? Is love a component of AI’s nature? Godly love? Is AI capable of loving humans? If not, what are the consequences of submitting to, and placing faith and trust in, AI? The Scriptures reveal what God’s love is.

“The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, “Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. Exodus 34:6

The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him. . . The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. . . So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. John 1:1-14 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.” 1 John 4:9

AI was not created in God’s image, does not have a divine nature, and cannot be trusted to generate and communicate truth at all times. Is our society asking all the right questions about AI, or ignoring them to our peril?

THE LURE OF AI AND IDOLATRY?

Why are humans drawn to the idea of AI? Yes, AI features can aid humans collect and compile information instantly. But, one’s unchecked quest for such help can lead to extremes. One publication observes:

“. . . [A] much better future is possible with AI if we make the right choices in the near future, especially as AI grows more powerful and even incomprehensible to humans. We can already see the extraordinary potential of artificial general intelligence (AGI), which will be like nothing that came before it.

[I]magine the cognitive capabilities of a human — ‌with the ability to learn, converse, plan, and perform tasks across a range of domains, from the scientific to the creative to the philosophical to the personal — combined with speed, memory, reliability, and scalability of high-performance computing. . . with the ability to carry on open-ended conversations with natural language, coupled with their access to vast stores of knowledge in just about every domain. Already, they are beating human experts on a range of knowledge and problem-solving tasks across a range of subjects, from math and physics to law and medicine.

. . . AGI promises to turn everything we value about intelligence — the ability to understand context, to solve novel problems, and to plan for the future — into “intelligence on demand,” . . . Any routine human cognitive activity will eventually be aided by or replaced by an AI. All routine business operations will be orchestrated by AIs, and individuals will integrate personal AGIs so seamlessly into their daily lives that it will become unimaginable to exist without them. . . Humans with a lifetime of knowledge can permanently extend their understanding of the world with as little as a single experience or conversation . . .

. . .

AGI will be capable of extracting meaningful data from virtually all of its experiences, including exchanges with humans, sensory input from its surroundings, and. . . information found online and via other networked sources.

. . . [AI] will be more like an ambitious adult . . . with a continual desire to expand its knowledge base. [It] won’t just be more resilient and resourceful, but will truly grow in its capabilities and value over time, driven largely by its own appreciation for the value of knowledge.

[It] will be expected to connect with humans at a deeper, more meaningful level by leveraging an understanding of the needs of and psychology of humans . . . and all that entails . . . AGI will perform many tasks that humans already do with unparalleled efficiency, and those far beyond human capabilities. . . Its reasoning abilities, access to data, and conversational skills will make it a natural collaborator and even mentor. . . . At some point AGI might be able to encompass all of the mammalian senses — sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch — creating an entirely new robotic species. Considering that humans have developed unexpectedly deep bonds with machines as far back as the ELIZA chatbot in the 1960s . . . we shouldn’t be surprised by the possibility of superhuman intelligence becoming a captivating companion.”[8]

Who remembers when personal computers were the new rage? Recall that Apple marketers who promoted their brand of computers dubbed themselves “Apple Evangelists.” Are we doing the same thing with AI?

The desire for superhuman knowledge dates back to the creation of mankind, according to Scripture. Circumventing God in this endeavor, and/or replacing Scriptural truth with artificial intelligence, however, can lead to destructive results.

“It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied . . . “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” The woman was convinced [and] saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she ate it.” Genesis 3:3-6

When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back . . . they gathered around Aaron. “Come on, . . . make us some gods who can lead us. . . .” Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” Aaron . . . built an altar in front of the calf. . . . The people got up . . . to sacrifice . . . offerings [and] celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.

The Lord told Moses, “. . . Your people . . . have corrupted themselves. . . [and] turned away from the way I commanded them to live! They . . . made a calf, . . . bowed down and sacrificed to it. . . my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them.” Exodus 32:1-10

Following unchecked desires of our sinful nature inevitably results in living the sort of life under which we will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:27 Submitting to AI in all human endeavors is not merely sinful; it is counterproductive. In contrast, placing trusting faith upon God’s word provides a hedge against idolatry and false teaching.

“Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Ephesians 4:14

But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.” 1 John 4:3

HOW SHOULD WE RELATE TO AI?

Recent publications reveal that, for decades, our government kept secrets about UFOs and the existence of extraterrestrials from the general population. Similar deceptions occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, and about government coups and foreign meddling. Now comes a deluge of people eager to “uncover” all the previously-hidden information. In addition to AI, why the new interest in looking to the presumed “wisdom” of extraterrestrials and inter-dimensional beings for answers to world problems? Are humans seeking a completely separate, alternative source of knowledge? A golden calf?

Media outlets claim that, except for a few privileged elites, “we have all been lied-to about everything.” But, do those claiming we’ve been lied to “about everything” include the Bible’s authors and Jesus? Is this blanket claim a veiled attack on the authority of Scriptures and those who trust in them?

Widespread fear (e.g., threats of nuclear war, genocide, man-made and natural disasters, pandemics), incited entire nations and populations to impose extreme and sometimes contradictory reactive measures (at the expense of God-given rights). The current proliferation of AI, the heightened interest in seeking knowledge from alternative sources, increased distrust of established human institutions, and the threat of nuclear war are occurring simultaneously – at a time of instant, worldwide access to information via the Internet and social media, mixing hope and fear. Isn’t fear a common tool of deceivers? Why are so many, including Christian believers, falling victim to the same ancient tactics?

“[F]alse messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Mt 24:24; Mk 13:22) But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. 2 Corinthians 11:3 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.” 1 John 2:4

Should Christians seek to profit from AI? Why or why not? Is there a middle ground? The following offer some guidance.

You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? Romans 2:22

“A man named Simon had been a sorcerer . . . amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. Everyone . . . spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” . . . he had astounded them with his magic. But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. . . . Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip . . . and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed. . . . When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. “Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed . . .” But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought! . . . [Y]our heart is not right with God. . . . for I can see that you are . . . held captive by sin.” Acts 8:9-21

We cannot submit to AI at the expense of Scriptural truths. Giving AI superseding authority over Scripture is idolatry. Scripture, not AI-generated content, must be the ultimate authority on what constitutes truth. Therefore, anything AI generates that is inconsistent with Scripture, must be rejected as a source from the enemy.

“If you serve their gods, you will be caught in the trap of idolatry. Exodus 23:33

The people . . . set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the Lord, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves. Ezekiel 14:4 They traded the truth about God for a lie. Romans 1:25

Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It . . . blasphemed God. . . the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority. . . . The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. “Who is as great as the beast?” they exclaimed. . . . And . . . he deceived all the people who belong to this world. Revelation 13:1-4, 14

The first beast was . . . like a human being. . . given a human mind. . . . This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. . . . devour the whole world . . . Daniel 7:4-23 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. . . .Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thess 2:10-12

. . . “Anyone who worships the beast . . . must drink the wine of God’s anger. . . tormented with fire and burning sulfur . . .” Revelation 14:9-10

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. . . . He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 . . . [T]he people’s minds were hardened . . . the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 2 Cor 3:14 . . . the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:10

We can avoid inclinations to idolize AI by continuously seeking to know God so intimately and thoroughly that, when a counterfeit appears, we will instantly recognize it for what it is, turn away from it, and cling to what is genuine. Then, we may examine our own hearts to see whether we have succumbed to deceit in all areas of our lives.

“Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you . . . Be . . . one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. . . Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 2 Timothy 1:14, 2:25

[W]e must listen . . . to the truth we . . . heard, or we may drift away from it. Hebrews 2:1 If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.” 1 John 4:6

Should we completely disavow AI, oppose it, or distance ourselves from it? Should we promote it? Or, should we use it with eyes-wide-open to its potential deceptions, and subordinate AI to Scripture any time the two do not align? Are members of Christ’s church equipped to resist the temptation to place trusting faith on AI? If not, what else should we do?

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[1] Merriam-Webster.com. All definitions here are from this source unless specified otherwise.

[2] The Dan Bongino Show, Ep. 2333 (Sept. 20, 2024), Rumble.com. See also “Bill Gates Wants To Shape AI and ‘Misinformation’ Control and Oprah Is All Ears,” By Didi Rankovic; Reclaim the Net, (September 16, 2024); reclaimthenet.org; and “Lockheed Martin Develops System to Identify and Counter Online ‘Disinformation’, Prototyped by DARPA”, Reclaim the Net (September 6, 2024).

[3] “No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.” John 2:25) “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.” Galatians 5:19-21; See also Romans 6:19; 7:5-25; 8:3-12

[4]Let us make human beings[b] in our image, to be like us. . . So God created human beings[d] in his own image.  In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:24-27. “ “Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature.” Romans 1:20

[5] ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE LEGAL SYSTEM; How Is AI Changing the Legal Profession? By Bloomberg Law – May 23, 2024; See Webinar: AI 101 – “The Promises and Perils of AI in the Courts” – (second half of the webinar) https://vimeo.com/855350490. SEE: https://youtu.be/2ei_7_CSWJs?si=4ZphHdmQ-3vu9a9B – Impact of AI in Court | Artificial Intelligence in the Judicial System (video) – e.g., AI program “hallucinations” – creating false data, non-existent exhibits, case-law citations & inserting them into a legal brief or legal research.

[6] “The Most Sophisticated AIs Are Most Likely to Lie, Worrying Research Finds”

[7] Eric Mack, “Half of U.S. States Seek to Censor AI in Election Campaigns,” Newsmax – Sept. 22, 2024

[8] Silvio Savarese and Peter Schwartz, Artificial General Intelligence; Casting a Vision for a Better Future, Jan. 18, 2024. Salesforce.com/news/stories/what-is-artificial-general-intelligence/ [Emphasis added]