Artificial Intelligence as a Testing Ground for Key Theological Questions

    Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    Abstract

    Engagement with artificial intelligence (AI) can be highly beneficial for theology. This article maps the landscape of the various ways such engagement can occur. It begins by outlining the opportunities and limitations of computational theology before diving into speculative territory by imagining how robot theologians might think of divine revelation. The topic of AI and imago Dei is then reviewed, illustrating several ways AI can inform theological anthropology. The article concludes with a more speculative take on the possible implications of AI for divine infinity, incarnation, theodicy, and demonic intelligence.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)984-999
    Number of pages16
    JournalZygon : Journal of Religion and Science
    Volume57
    Issue number4
    Early online date30 Aug 2022
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Dec 2022

    Funding

    This work was supported by the Templeton World Charity Foundation under Grant TWCF0542. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Templeton World Charity Foundation. I am indebted to Andrea Vestrucci, Philip Barnard, William Clocksin, Lluis Oviedo, Michael Reiss, Beth Singler, Fraser Watts, Yorick Wilks, Rowan Williams, and Harris Wiseman for their comments and suggestions.

    FundersFunder number
    Templeton World Charity FoundationTWCF0542

      Keywords

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • image of God
      • imago Dei
      • robotheology
      • strong AI
      • theological anthropology

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