Christian ethical guidelines to artificial intelligence and technological singularity

Abstract

Technological advancements, like AI and robotics, combined with a hypothetical technological singularity during the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), will challenge the relationship between Christian ethics and science, influencing the church’s relevance in the 4IR. According to Dreyer (2019:2), the “crisis” of the church has much to do with changing contexts. Being relevant as a Christian church in the twenty-first century is much different from being relevant in the first century. Technological advancement affects our lives and forces a shift to a more progressive era. These shifts will happen increasingly faster as development and technological breakthroughs increase. Davis (2016:1) believes that the 4IR will extend the impact of technology in new and unpredictable ways. The problem is that parts of the world have yet to experience aspects of the Second and Third Industrial Revolutions, as Davis (2016:1) points out. It implies the emergence of cyber-physical systems in the 4IR, while the 3IR spreads and matures worldwide, contributing to further confusion and segregation. Davis (2016:2) notes that feelings of uncertainty and fear will characterise the 4IR. Because of the complexities and disruptive nature of these technologies, it may look and feel like an exogenous force with the power of a tsunami. Although this is an industrial revolution like nothing human beings have seen before, we should remember that people’s individual and collective choices ultimately drive these changes, and as Davis (2016:2) states: “it is a reflection of our desires and choices”. The exponential technological development in the 4IR will reveal more about human ethics than all the previous industrial revolutions combined. This fast-changing technological landscape will require shifts from the Christian community as well. With this research, the researcher aims to provide the church with much-needed technological hermeneutics and ethics guidelines for AI in the 4IR.