This post’s title about AI (artificial intelligence) is shocking, but it might just be how the world decides to handle the love of most growing cold. It’s a warning and a promise from the Word. “Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12 AMP).
AI, An Electronic Buffer
As globally the temperament of people rises and our anger flares up and lashes out, we might just look to our computers to be a buffer. As it stands now, we gaze more readily into our smartphones than we do the eyes of other people. We prefer text to conversation. Facebook friendship to actual interaction. And instead of playing sports with friends outside, we engage them in video game battles where only their voices are heard. Our world is becoming more and more software based rather than heart based.
For Christmas I got my parents a helpful gadget from Amazon. It’s the Echo, which sports the interaction of Alexa. Very much like Siri from Apple, it’s a verbally interactive way of engaging data on the web and, at the least, is fun. Alexa’s voice is more human than robotic. I, too, own Echo and ask Alexa to set cooking timers, tell me the weather and news, purchase items I need online or add them to a shopping list. I ask it to play my favorite music, read my Bible or Audible books, as well as search the web for answers. It’s just very convenient and easy.
Looking to AI to be My Friend
In an article in The Telegraph, I read recently about Nadine, the most life-like robot to date. Nadine is working as a receptionist at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Here is how the article describes Nadine:
“The world’s most human-like robot has begun work as a university receptionist as scientists predict the new technology will eventually provide childcare and offer friendship to lonely elderly people.
“With her soft skin and flowing brunette hair, Nadine does not only meet and greet visitors, smile, make eye contact and shake hands, but she can even recognize past guests and spark up conversation based on previous chats.
“Unlike conventional robots, Nadine has her own personality, mood and emotions. She can be happy or sad, depending on the topic.”
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is in our future regardless of our personal opinions. This frightens some and excites others. But spiritually, what is happening? Why are we looking to AI rather than personal human interaction? Oh, it’s very base and not too intelligent. AI does what I ask, doesn’t complain, and is programed to do it with a smile—an electronic slave, so to speak, programed to do it happily. And in a world where you get the finger because you waited a second longer at a light, or a punch in the face if you happened to grasp the last toy someone else wanted off the shelf at a store, who can blame you?
AI to the Rescue
The world is coming unglued with lawlessness and in steps AI to say everything is all right. Did you read what that article said? We are going to turn our elderly and children over to AI in preference to temperamental humans. Well, it didn’t make that conclusion exactly, but you can fill in the blanks. Whoa!
The love of most is growing cold and the world is answering with Artificial Intelligence. But we who call on the name of the Lord Jesus have a secret weapon: He’s called the Spirit of the Living God. He doesn’t dehumanize us, patronize us, or eradicate our hearts. As the world increases in lawlessness, we’re called to represent Him to our lost world. We’re to be reality in superficiality. We are to offer His Love to a world fearful and damaged.
No, I am not throwing out my Echo or Siri. As I’ve stated in previous posts, I actually use Siri for dictation regularly. What I am saying is that as evil increases, and violence and entitlement rises, I will let His Love reach a love-cooling world. This is His living contribution in me for a world withdrawing from actual heart interaction. His heart beats for His children, something no AI will ever be able to offer.
There will be so much more evil in the world that the love of most believers will grow cold.
Matthew 24:12 ERV
[…] talking about the heart the other day to a friend. We were talking about it as it related to AI (artificial intelligence). I was saying that if they created a robot that was indistinguishable from a human, I would have a […]
More desensitizing and dumbing down of humanity. Our need to control deceives us into being controlled.
Yes, John. Very inspiring thoughts. Thank you for sharing. Reading you, I saw what we really want: a sense of order, satisfaction and meeting our needs. AI is looking for that. “NEED” is the word behind. “Someone that meets MY needs”. We human beings are really needed people, looking to meet our huge needs creating our own solutions. We really have a deep HUGE INFINITE hole of need. But meeting the “NEED of GOD” is the only Solution. When you live inside HIS need, for HIS need… the Love of God envelops you to love the beloved Son. There is… Read more »
Oh my! LOL! Guilty-guilty-guilty, of the behavior and judgement (Still laughing at myself) and grateful for forgiveness! Just days prior to Christmas I went to lunch with three friends. One of them still needed to get her dad a gift. She had done her due diligence of online preparation and found they had the jacket she wanted to get him at Sears. Sears is not a just-around-the-corner thing for us, and personally, shopping in anything other than my PJ’s is not my idea of fun. But she assured us that it was just a quick stop and we’d be on… Read more »
It’s called Echo 😉