145 - Artificial Intelligence and Faith, with David Brenner
Sep 19, 2023
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David Brenner, board chair of AI and Faith, discusses ethical questions in artificial intelligence, including control issues, loss of agency, and the impact on Eastern and Western religions. They explore the positive aspects of AI in the faith community and the intersection of AI, faith, and justice, addressing biases in algorithms. The podcast emphasizes merging conversations about AI and faith for positive change guided by ancient wisdom.
Maintaining human agency and control in the face of advancing AI technologies is crucial for preserving human dignity and liberty.
Integrating faith values and ethical principles with AI can provide a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by AI.
Deep dives
Overview of AI and Faith
AI and Faith is a channel that explores the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and its impact on human flourishing. It brings together technologists, theologians, philosophers, and professionals from various fields to engage in a deep conversation about the questions posed by AI. The goal is to go beyond shallow corporate approaches and instead integrate ancient wisdom with modern problems. The focus areas include attention and the effects of social media, algorithmic decision making in areas like criminal justice and hiring, the introduction of morality in autonomous weaponry and healthcare, and the concerns surrounding surveillance and control.
Concerns about Control and Loss of Agency
One of the primary concerns in the AI and Faith discussion is the potential loss of human agency and control. As AI advances, there is a growing ability to control people through technologies like facial recognition, data analytics, and surveillance. This poses significant challenges to human liberty and dignity, with the potential for a loss of control in multiple aspects of life. The convergence of technologies can result in a dehumanizing impact, where machines take over decision-making processes and erode human agency. Maintaining a clear understanding of human identity and our relationship with AI is crucial.
Integration of AI, Faith, and Ethics
The intersection of AI, faith, and ethics is an area of exploration that deserves attention. By integrating faith values, theological perspectives, and ethical principles, it is possible to address the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in a comprehensive manner. Various religious traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, share fundamental questions about human identity and our relationship with technologies. Faith and AI initiatives seek to bring together diverse perspectives, discern the ethical implications, and provide a foundation for using AI in a way that aligns with the values of justice, dignity, and human flourishing.
David Brenner describes the mission of the organization AI and Faith, which works to direct artificial intelligence research and technology towards human flourishing, with an eye towards ethics and a grounding in multiple faith traditions.
This is the fourth in a series on artificial intelligence, based in part on the work of AI and Faith, an organization which seeks to engage the world in the moral and ethical issues around artificial intelligence. Learn more at AIandfaith.org.
David Brenner is the board chair of AI and Faith.
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