Faith and AI: Navigating Opportunities and Challenges

Is the following playing out more and more among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

• The bishop asks Brother So-and-So to give a talk next week on being kind to strangers.

“No problem,” the member thinks. “I’ll just make a couple of queries in ChatGPT and, voila, instant sacrament sermon.”

• Or the Sunday school president calls on Sister Such-and-Such to pinch-hit in Gospel Doctrine.

“Sure,” the fill-in teacher replies. “I can do that.” Artificial intelligence, again, to the rescue.

Is A.I., then, a godsend or a devilish crutch?

The church, which has developed A.I. guidelines, points out that it uses this rapidly advancing technological tool in its global work.

But apostle Gerrit Gong matter-of-factly warned recently that A.I. can remove heavenly inspiration and should not be used to prepare talks, lessons, prayers or blessings.

On this week’s show, popular By Common Consent blogger Taylor Kerby discusses artificial intelligence — and the implications of the wise or not-so-wise use of it in the church.