“The year is 2055. We’re all huddled around a campfire. The question is, are we in utopia, or are we in hiding?” In his book, Scary Smart, Mo Gawdat cautiously warns us that it could go either way with AI in the near future.
Gawdat made me aware of AI’s multiple roles in our lives. We experience it from driving to having a fresh brew of coffee ready when we wake up. AI is the latest technology to entice us with the promise of making our lives easier and more efficient, improving health outcomes, and enhancing safety. Unlike previous technology, AI will continue to evolve until it exceeds human intelligence and even develops consciousness, which is called singularity.
Okay, that’s the scary part. Today’s AI technology is a sophisticated tool available to help us in many ways if we are willing to learn how to use it. My daughter said, “ChatGPT is great if you don’t use it like a calculator!” As Farri and Rosani write, “Approach AI as if you’re talking to a human, rather than passively receiving information.” These tools are advanced enough to be conversation partners. AI is designed to be co-thinkers and co-pilots with us on projects. Elisa Farri and Gabriele Rosani share examples of using AI as co-creators of our work in their book, HBR Guide to Generative AI for Managers.
I’m a newbie to AI. I use Grammarly to edit my writings and emails. I also use Apple Intelligence for writing. I’m learning the many models of ChatGPT and how to use them. I used ChatGPT to create the title of this blog! In addition, I have Siri, Google, and Alexas’s voice modules. This sounds like a lot, but it’s only my laptop, phone, car, and Bluetooth speakers. I saw an example of AI being used by a colleague earlier this week: Presbyteries from around the country submitted data describing their staffing models, including the number of employees, roles, and the presbytery membership. Erin McGee, the executive presbyter in Indianapolis, used the ChatGPT analysis tool and created a summary of the data that was creative and informative. Her email hooked me!
Someone can also abuse AI. It can write sermons, provide fake information, and manipulate images. We must develop ethical guidelines as AI evolves and matures. I’m thankful for the technology, but I still have a pair of human eyes looking over my blog and documents. My editors know Presbyterianism, the Presbytery of Chicago, and me. The best AI can do is produce a good draft. The context and specifics must come from us.
How are you using AI? What’s your vision for AI’s future? What are your concerns about its usage? Let’s share ideas as we create best practices for this latest technology.
Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard