The Youth Group Podcast You need to think about AI in Youth Ministry (with Ed Sowden)
Jul 16, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Ed Sowden, a youth minister, father, and Lego artist from Bathurst, dives into the profound effects of AI on teenage lives. He shares insights on how youth ministry can both leverage technology and maintain a human touch. Ed discusses the moral implications of AI, including privacy concerns and creativity challenges. He emphasizes the importance of guiding youth through the complexities of an AI-driven world, ensuring they remain rooted in their identity as image bearers of God.
AI Snips
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Transcript
Episode notes
Tom's Early AI Experimentation
- Tom French shared how he first encountered ChatGPT at a youth leaders dinner in 2022 and experimented with it for sermons and games.
- He noticed AI's improvement over time but also developed a wariness that reduced his usage recently.
AI Rapid Adoption Demands Thought
- The rapid adoption of ChatGPT reaching 1 million users in 5 days shows how quickly AI is embedding itself in culture.
- This speed demands critical conversations about AI's moral place and implications for learning and creativity.
Ethical Concerns Over AI Training
- AI is trained on vast amounts of online creative work often used without consent, raising ethical concerns.
- This challenges us to question if AI-generated content is morally acceptable or tainted by its origins.
