Our Eejits book group were discussing this book about AI this afternoon. Lots of wisdom and wit, some searching questions around the nature of humanity, the relation of humans to machines, the moral challenges of creating something that may become sentient and for which we will have moral responsibility. In addition questions of the nature of what is being created, and it being qualitatively different from all previous technological revolutions, the dangers of military and anti-human and anti-creation potential. Then there are the emerging moral dilemmas, not least the dilemma of ensuring that those who design and develop AI are themselves responsible and humane in their values.
There are of course theological responses, and out of these grow the moral imperatives and ethical values we would want to have established as safeguards and agreed boundaries. The potential for human benefit is seductive in its promises; the potential for human harm and irreversible damage to the world as we know it. is equally great, and harder to justify – but it's there all the same.
This is a great group, courageous in thinking, trustful and respecting of each other's contribution even when disagreeing, capable across the disciplines of theology, philosophy, ethics and social and cultural analysis. We didn't answer some of the harder questions – but neither did we hide from the obligation to ask them, refine them and understand the urgency of continuing to ask them. There is such a thing as fellowship in thinking. I think!
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