Christians More Suspicious of Artificial Intelligence, Survey Reveals

Published: May 16, 2024

Christians More Suspicious of Artificial Intelligence, New Survey Reveals

By Movieguide® Contributor

A new survey concluded that Christians and people who read the Bible are more suspicious of artificial intelligence than the general public.

The American Bible Society’s State of the Bible survey examined how Bible-believing Christians feel about technology, specifically artificial intelligence.

The survey included four positive and four negative statements regarding AI and its effects on faith, the church and culture.

“The greatest levels of disagreement came on positive statements about AI’s spiritual and moral value (68% and 58%, respectively). Note that these weren’t only Christians saying that AI could not ‘promote spiritual health’ or ‘aid in moral reasoning.’ This was the general public. Those two statements also garnered the lowest levels of agreement (9% and 13%),” the survey reported.

“More than half agreed with the negative statement that AI would bring about ‘an increase in unemployment’ (51%)—by far, the highest level of agreement. And yet, when asked to weigh the good and bad effects of AI, only one in three said the bad would outweigh the good, while nearly as many (28%) said the opposite,” the survey continued.

“Americans are more fearful than hopeful about Artificial Intelligence. Our survey also shows a great deal of uncertainty,” concluded John Farquhar Plake, the American Bible Society Chief Program Officer and State of the Bible Editor-in-Chief.

“People just don’t know how AI will change the culture, but they’re mildly uneasy about it,” he continued. “And how do people of faith feel? The same way — uncertain, uneasy — but more so. Practicing Christians and those who engage with Scripture are even more concerned about AI than the general public, more likely to say the bad results of AI will outweigh the good. The greatest uncertainty is at the intersection of faith and AI.”

Barna found similar outcomes about Christians’ interest in using AI to learn about faith. “Just eight percent of Christians and four percent of non-Christians are interested in using AI to study the Bible. We see similar numbers when it comes to the use of AI to learn about Christianity (6% and 3%, respectively),” the group reported.

While AI’s use within the church is yet to be fully understood, some believe it could help further the gospel.

“I believe that God created us to thrive. If you look at what Jesus promises, life with Him — that there is a fullness in Him,” said Pastor Eric Parks. “And so can AI create that? No. Not according to my theology. That comes from a relationship with Christ. Can AI put tools in front of me and in people that I love that may help move us toward flourishing? Yeah.”

Movieguide® previously reported on AI use within Christian music:

The artist is named J.C. and is artificial intelligence. The algorithm wrote “Biblical Love,” the first gospel song recorded and performed by a digital artist.

J.C.’s creator, Marquis Boone Enterprises in Atlanta, Georgia, noted that the song is “about unquantifiable love beyond description or measure – a love of biblical proportions that transcends to everyone and everything!”

…Christians have shared their thoughts about J.C. and the new song in a recent Facebook post by CBN.

“Artificial Intelligence cannot fulfill John 4:24 ~ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth,” one user posted.

Another added: “We are called to worship God in spirit and truth worship comes from our heart to God a computer can’t replicate true worship.”

“This is not worship. This is business,” another user said.