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Category: Humanity

Humanity explores Christian anthropology through a variety of lenses. It is particularly interested in how technology is reshaping our self-understanding and our communities.

How Will AI Accelerate Cyborgization?

In a previous blog, I described how current technology adoption is transforming us into cyborgs. In this blog, I want to show how AI will accelerate and reinforce cyborgization and why this matters. Much has been said about the emergence of AI as the fearsome “other” that is coming to challenge humanity. A much more pressing conversation is how AI will redefine humanity. It is not the robot against us but the robot in us that we need to think about. That is why it is important to understand how AI will accelerate the march toward cyborgization.

Enabling Better Interfaces

AI technologies will speed up the march towards cyborgization by enabling more human-friendly interfaces. This is difficult to imagine now when our users experience is tied to a “QWERTY” keyboard. Also, voice recognition is still at its beginning stages (hence, why I keep on having arguments with Siri because she does not understand what I am saying). Yet, it is not a leap to imagine a world in which we do not type but speak to devices. This is only possible if these machines can hear and understand us. It is only safe if they can recognize who we are either by voice of vision. Last week, Apple launched Iphone X with a visual recognition feature that allows you to unlock the phone by simply looking at the screen. This is a breakthrough step in face recognition. Also, as Amazon, Google and Apple race to develop the leading voice-assistant, speaking to our devices will become more common. As AI improves so will our ability to interact with machines in more human-like manners. This will transform how we use these devices allowing them to play a larger role in our daily lives.

Bringing Order to Digital Chaos

Interfaces are not the only areas enhanced by AI. Another notable area is AI’s ability to bring order to our current digital experience. To illustrate this concept, just think about what would be like to connect your brain directly to your Facebook or Twitter feed. It would result in a major headache driven a by a jumble of unrelated topics, pictures, comments, flashing through your mind. Needless to say that It would be disorienting. This is the state of social media delivery and why extended uses of it can be harmful to our mental health. Now imagine if our digital experience could be organized and filtered by an intelligent agent. Let say, there was an AI-enabled app that could automatically filter and organize what you see based on who you are, your mood and time of day. Wouldn’t that transform your digital experience?  This way, AI would not only allow easier interface with devices but also enhance the experience with these devices through learning about us as individuals. It is a daunting to imagine that devices could know our thoughts and feelings but this is no longer a far-fetched idea. We are surely giving away enough data about ourselves so they can do just that. As these devices “know” us better we will also be more willing to use, wear or embed them in our bodies.

Facilitating Life Extension

The third area in which AI will impact the march is life extension. This is possibly the most controversial and promising area that AI technologies can impact us. While on paternity leave in the last five weeks, I had the chance to observe our current healthcare system. I am grateful for the care we received through medical interventions and advice as we welcome our son to the world. Yet, it was also clear how rudimentary our health care is. We currently rely on painfully invasive tests, disconnected systems, fragmented knowledge and healthcare worker memories for our medical data. No wonder we are running into so many problems in this area. If we could just improve how we collect, store and analyze health data we could advance the quality of care significantly. To do that would require wearing or embedding sensors in our body for live monitoring and data collection. AI models could analyze the data coming from these sensors and translate them into individualized care plans. That is, medical care that is tailored to your bodies specific genetic and real-time conditions. Moreover, it allows for building predictive models to estimate lifespan. The hope is that those models would not only tell us how long we will live but also uncover ways we can prolong that lifespan.

How Will These Advances Move Us Toward Cyborgization?

If it becomes easier to communicate with devices, it is also easier to involve them in all aspects of our lives. The movie Her explores this trend by imagining a world where humans develop romantic relationships with their digital assistants. Here, I want to suggest it could also lead to making these devices indispensable to our bodies. In short, they would culminate into full-blown auxiliary brains. That is, currently from what we know, our brain has no “hard drive” that stores memories. The brain structure itself is the “memories”. However, if as interface advances from hearing our voice to actually to hearing our thoughts, then it could become an embedded hard drive. This hard drive then could store all the information coming from our senses. With the technology already being developed in intelligent agents, these auxiliary brains would not only store data but also organize, filter and prompt it based on what it learns from us. Moreover, it would benefit from body sensors and connection to advanced medical data to possibly extend our lifespans. Sci-fi literature already explores scenarios with these possibilities. For now, it suffice it to say that our mobile phones are the first generation of our auxiliary brains.

Are we ready to move into enhanced humanity? With the acceleration made possible by Artificial Intelligence, this reality may be here sooner than you think. It would be naive to simply embrace it uncritically or reject it outrightly. The main issue is not IF but HOW this will happen.

Are we willing to embrace the opportunity while also recognizing the dangers of an enhanced humanity?

Are we ready to become responsible cyborgs?

Confronting The March Towards Cyborgization

Science fiction cyborgs are scary. They make me wonder if we would ever co-exist with such beings in real life. Well, if you are looking for cyborgs you might as well start looking at the mirror. Our race to adopt the latest technologies is slowly but surely turning all of us into these fearsome creatures. Cyborgization is upon us whether we like it or not.

It this good, bad? Well, let me describe the trends and then we can discuss it. We’ll never wrestle with a reality that we do not name it first. As the adage goes: “the first step to healing is admitting we have a problem.”

Don’t believe me. Consider the following:

Last week Apple just announced that is making the iWatch less dependent on the iPhone. That means soon you’ll get most of the iPhone functionality in the iWatch. Elon Musk is talking about sending nano transmitters into our blood flow. In Wisconsin, a company is experimenting with just that, paying employees to implant chips in their hands. These are just a few examples of “body hacking”, where people are pushing further the envelope of fusing technology with our bodies. If technology conglomerates have their way, we are moving from buying devices we use to adding them to our bodies. The trend can be depicted as such:

desktop>>laptop>>tablet>>smart phone>>wearable device>>implant

Certainly, not everybody will sign up for implants. Yet, the fact that we now already have people willing to experiment with implants shows how far we have progressed in the spectrum above. Thirty years ago only a few of us owned desktop computers in our homes. Last year, the number of smart phones in the world surpassed 2 billion, just shy of 30% of the world population. The march towards cyborgization is in full-speed.

Cyborgs in Action: Sousveillance

So what would a world with cyborgs look like? What would we do with our extended bodies?

The events of Charlottesville this weekend reminded us of the evil undercurrents of racism that still purveys our culture.

[Here I must stop to make a few comments. Racism is goes against everything Christianity stands for. To say otherwise or to pretend there is equivalency on both sides betrays who we are. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. I also pray that we are able to come together to confront this evil in our midst.]

Curiously, the march and its aftermath also became a notable experiment in Sousveillance. Don’t know what that means, no worries. I just learned about it this week. Sousveillance is the fancy name for the growing phenomenon where people use their phones to record real-life events.

While this has been happening for a while, the novelty was the crowdsourced attempts to identify members of the march through social media. Basically, somebody recorded the faces of white supremacists marchers and posted their faces in twitter asking users to recognize and identify the individuals. As a result, one of the marchers lost his job after being outed in this social media driven act of sousveillance. Such development would not have been possible without the advent of devices that allow us to film and share images at ease.

This is an example of things to come. Ordinary individuals, leveraging their body extension tools to do things that were not possible otherwise. On the one hand this could lead to quicker apprehension of criminals in both identifying as well as providing physical evidence of their crimes. On the other hand this could quickly lead to an augmented version of mob mentality, where people are quickly branded guilty and made to pay for crimes they did not commit.While many are weary of government surveillance, citizen sousveillance can offer a welcome check. This is just one application of how cyborgization can change our world.

Framing the Conversation

So maybe becoming cyborgs is not such a bad thing. However, before dismissing or embracing this trend, it is important to ask a few questions. Here are some that come to mind.

Who is driving the march and who benefits most from it?

How does it help the most vulnerable?

How does it affect human relationships?

How do these devices enhance or diminish our humanity?

My biggest concern is not how fast these technological extensions are being adopted but how is it done. At this point, most of it is driven through marketing by large technology conglomerates telling us that we must adopt the latest gadget or else become irrelevant. The subtle message is not just that our current gadgets are outdated but that we ourselves are becoming useless.

Certainly marketing of artificial needs should not be the main driver for adopting these technologies. Instead, their adoption should undergo a deliberate process in which the questions listed above are at the forefront. Technology should never be an end to itself but a means to life enriching goals. We need to evolve from technology consumers to thoughtful agents that leverage technology for human flourishing.

At a personal level, a simple question would be: does this device improve my quality of life or not? If it does not, then it may be time to re-think its usage.

Wake Up Call: Helping the I-generation Discern Reality from Illusion

While Millennials continue to capture most of the headlines, we are just now starting to understand the next generation. Early reports are worrisome. The Atlantic just published an article about an extensive study on what is now called the Igeneration and how it compares to previous generations. They found that teenagers of this generation (born between 1996 and 2010) are delaying independence and therefore avoiding many of the risks that other generations fell prey to such as alcohol and drug abuse. Yet, they are also experiencing an increase in depression and suicide rates. In short, adolescents are both safer and lonelier. This is a paradigm we will have to grapple with for years to come.

According to the article, the single defining trait of this generation is technology. They are the first ones to grow up with smart phones. Many spend hours on their phone and fifty percent say they are addicted to it. This trend has had devastating effects most of which is amplifying the sense of being left. In fact, according to the study, phone usage had an inverse relationship with happiness. That is, the less you use your phone, the happier the teenagers reported they felt.

Leaving the pernicious effects of social media aside, I want to focus on the smart phone itself. Its very existence has fundamentally changed how teenagers perceive the world around them.

The Gap Between Generations

Children are like sponges. They have a unique capacity to absorb the world around them in ways adults no longer can. Their minds are malleable by all the stimuli around them. The biggest tragedy of children growing up in front of a screen is that they start losing the ability to differentiate the virtual world from the real one. Even if they cognitively understand the difference, they may still consider the virtual world as essential to their life. The snapchat profile is no longer an avatar but becomes an integral part of their identify. Their day-to-day experience, good and bad, gets amplified. If now teenagers can attain instant fame, they can also experience the devastating effects of cyber bullying. It is one thing to be teased before a small group of peers in school. It is a whole other matter when the teasing happens at millions of screen worldwide.

Now, it would be unfair to say that only teenagers are struggling to limit their smart phone usage. Many adults, including the one typing, have a tendency to check the phone many times throughout the day. However, adults like myself had the advantage of growing up in an offline world. Call me old-school but there is no online experience that can match the satisfaction I get from reading a book. Because of this perspective, I wonder if we adults are underestimating the effects of introducing these devices so early in our children’s development.

As a parent of 7 and a 5 year-old, controlling their screen time is a constant source of worry if not obsession to both me and my wife. I can’t even imagine how the struggle will be as they get older and their peers start coming to school with smart phones. While I can delay it for a few years, I have to accept that our kids simply live in a different world than the one we grew up in. While limiting screen time is a good step, I think the bigger challenge is teaching them to make good choices when we are not present. Essentially, we need to impress on our children that the analog world is vastly richer than the digital representation they see on screens.

Real Versus Virtual

How do we teach a new generation to discern what is real from what is not? In past blogs, I have talked about preparing the next generation through education. Nevertheless, this is not enough. At the heart of this crisis is changing how we and our children approach technology altogether. If we are to help them discern reality outside of their phone screens we must first help them approach the technology they use wisely. That means helping them understand when it is time to put the screen down on their own.

I am encouraged when I see that my kids drop everything at the invitation to go to the pool. This tells me that while they enjoy their screens, they are still no match to the real experience of chlorine-full water splashing through their bodies. In the same way, my prayer for the Igeneration is that they learn that seeing someone face-to-face will always beat a video-conference interaction and that running in the woods will always be superior to any VR game they play.

The best way to help with that is being conduits of analog experiences that will blow away the digital ones. The gift of undivided attention, the warmth of a hug, the encouragement from words of affirmation are just a few examples of experiences that are best delivered in person than digitally.

If you see someone from the igen today, ask them to put down their phone and give them a hug.

Update on 04/10/2021

Subsequent studies have questioned the findings from the research above. The reality is that it is simply too early to make any conclusions. This does not mean we need to throw caution off the window but it does show that the causes to this worrisome trends are more complex than previously thought. The overall conclusion of this blog remains the same, let’s continue to love on our igen children and walk with them as they grow up in a digital world.

Christian Transhumanism: A Bridge Between Theology and AI

In the previous blog, I talked about how theology has much to offer to the AI conversation. With that said, one must recognize that the conversation between AI and Theology is rather awkward at the moment. While sharing common points of references, there are still significant divides in values, worldviews and language. At the root of this disconnect is the last century and half ongoing conflict between science and religion. As a consequence, the theologian is mostly disinterested if not intimidated by technology. The technologist finds Theology antiquated and inconsequential to the rise of new technologies. To delve more deeply on this rift would take more than a blog but for now suffice it to say that work must be done to bridge this divide if we are to have a productive and meaningful conversation.

In that front, I am encouraged by the emergence of Christian Transhumanism. This budding movement shows promise in creating the space where Theology and Technology can learn from each other. How? Well, first some definitions are in order.

What is Transhumanism?

According to Nick Bostrum, Transhumanism is an “international intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally transforming the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities.”

Transhumanism is an optimistic view of the future that sees technology as the conduit for a new and improved humanity. This can translate into efforts to extend lifespan, enhance human abilities and or re-think the social order in light of these new possibilities. It is a movement driven by imagination mostly found in Science Fiction. Many of us may enjoy the thrill of watching or reading a Science Fiction story. The Transhumanist goes a step further and asks: what if those things actually happen? How would we live in these new worlds? What possibilities, conflicts and hopes would we experience? For the purpose of this blog, Transhuamanists are at the forefront of reflecting on the ethical implications of emerging technologies. That makes them an important conversation partner in the dialogue between AI and Theology.

Can Transhumanism be Christian?

In view of the description above, what would Christian Transhumanism look like? First, it is important to point out that Transhumanism in its purest form is a thoroughly secular movement. Most of its members claim no religious affiliation. This makes it for an even more intriguing proposition to espouse a Christian version of it.

The Christian Transhumanist Association (CTA) is probably one for the first attempts to pursue exactly that. At a high level, the movement merges Christian theology with Transhumanism in three meaningful ways. Firstly, it translates Transhumanism search for human evolution into growth. This growth is not limited to spiritual but more akin to what I have been describing in this blog as human flourishing – a holistic view that encompasses spiritual, physical and social dimensions. Secondly, it calibrates Tranhumanist telos towards the renewal of the Earth. That it, the goal is not progress for progress sake but it is replaced by a Christian eschatological aim – the new heaven and the new earth. Thirdly, it sees the use of technology as a way to fulfill our call to Christian discipleship. In a creative move, the group actually sees the pursue of technological advance as part of spiritual formation.

In doing so, CTA embodies a robust theology of technology laying the ground work for a dialogue between AI and Theology. This is not a problem-free path, as inevitably any deep engagement with another philosophy can lead to unbalanced syncretism or shallow proselytizing. That is, on the one hand Christian Transhumanism can alter its Christian base enough to lose its essence. On the other hand, Christian Transhumanism can engage in forceful imposition of Christian ideals into the Transhumanist community without genuine engagement. Walking this thin line is part of the challenge for the next years to come.

Intrigued? I invite you to visit their website for more information

Where do We Go From Here?

Christian Transhumanism is in its infancy stages and so it is too early to assess its role in bridging the divide between AI and Theology. It is an important line of thinking but not the only one. An alternative view would be a bioconservative Christian movement emerging as a counter-point to Christian Transhumanism. Bioconservatives are those who would advocate limiting or rejecting the use of technology in extending life or enhancing human abilities. Yet, this position will become more precarious as some of these technological advances are all but inevitable. Just think about taking a stance against automobiles in the beginning of the 20th century. I guess the Amish are a witness to this position and their legacy will live on in other movements in the coming future.

At the moment, I am leaning towards the Christian Transhumanist side. Christian history is filled with examples where the church has resisted change rather than shaping it towards desirable aims. At its best, I see Christian Transhumanism doing the latter, welcoming technological change with enthusiasm while also holding a theologically lens to expose its dangers. My hope is that CTA can live out its mission as both a reforming voice in the church and a beacon of hope in a fast-changing world.

How Do We Prepare the Next Generation For An AI Future?

In a previous blog, I described the trends that led to the current AI renaissance. In this blog, I want to talk about where AI is going and how we can prepare children and young adults to seize on the opportunities emerging from it. 

The Global Race For AI Innovation

AI startups are popping up everywhere, not only in the United States but in many places in the world. Canada just announced an investment of $93 Million for AI hubs in its largest cities. China may now be surpassing the US in government funding of AI initiatives as it leads deep learning (a subset AI technology) research along with its booming tech sector led by Baidu. Japan is also investing heavily on the area as a way to foster economic growth with an ageing population. Developing countries are also entering the race as African AI startups emerge and as Brazil hosts the first AI startup battle in Latin American soil. Everybody wants a piece of the AI revolution.

Even so, AI innovation is most likely to come from leading tech giants: Google, Amazon and Facebook. Google, through bold mergers and research investment, is aiming to become an AI-driven company. Amazon, who already leads the digital assistant market and the cloud business, is set to incorporate AI into all its core operations. Facebook is investing heavily in AI to better manage and customize content for 1.4 Billion users. These are just a few examples of how AI is shaping the future of the Tech industry. The company who can turn AI into viable commercial solutions will become the market leader of the future. The company that lags behind will most likely face obsolescence.

What Can We Do To Prepare?

How will this current race impact our future? AI will certainly eliminate jobs, but also create new opportunities. I want to focus on the latter part for now. Complete new industries will emerge as these technologies become widespread in business and government all over the world. Therefore, we need to prepare our kids and young adults so they can fill these new jobs. Hear me out, not every kid will grow up to become a data scientist, robotics engineer or software developer. Yet, as AI permeates different systems, there are some basic skills that the future worker and entrepreneur must be proficient at.

Math is a good example. Developing a strong foundation on math concepts will be crucial. That does not mean every kid must master Calculus by High School. However, we need to debunk the myth that math is only suitable for a minority of very intelligent people. There is no such thing, math is a language that all can learn. For that to happen, we must also change how we teach math. Common Core is an encouraging step in the right direction but much more needs to be done. Math needs to become more visual and more relevant to day-to-day problems.

Another skill is programming. Learning to code should become as important as learning to read. Not all kids turn into voracious readers as adults most know enough to be functional and informed citizens in their communities. Similarly, not all kids that learn coding will become developers but they should have sufficient knowledge to navigate the technological change that is ahead of us.

While technical skills are important, we cannot neglect critical thinking skills. Here is where I believe disciplines like theology and philosophy have a place. Because these technologies will become more and more interwoven with our humanity, we cannot afford to overemphasize the “how” at the cost of asking the “why” and the “what for”. In other words, we need to be constantly asking: “What does it mean to be human in an AI world?”. This will not come naturally in math and coding classes that focus only on skills.

The goal is not only to prepare future workers but empower them to become AI social entrepreneurs, ready to address problems untouched by big business or big government.

I propose an inter-disciplinary approach that teaches both technical skills along with critical thinking. Students should ask the questions of “why” and “what for” right when they learn the “how”.The goal is not only to prepare future workers but empower them to become AI social entrepreneurs, ready to address problems untouched by big business or big government. In the next blog, I’ll be discussing how a grassroots open-source AI movement could work parallel to the one already happening in the business and government sector.

That is when things get interesting.

How Can Humans Flourish?

 

In previous blogs, I often used the phrase “AI for human flourishing.” In this blog, I want to explore what human flourishing is.

What is Human Flourishing?

I learned of this concept still in seminary when taking classes on ethics, mission and ministry. It is a new term that encompasses three levels of well-being: emotional, psychological and social. It connotes a state in which people are thriving. This may or may not be accompanied by material wealth but it is broader to include less tangible factors such as joy, connection to others and personal growth.

This concept initiated a shift in my thinking away from concrete measures like getting a job, financial compensation, church numerical growth and decisions for Christ (a favorite in evangelical circles) to broader measures of impact. One can be thriving even while staying in the same place or job. One can be maturing even through hardships. One can become more loving even when circumstances worsen.

Human Flourishing and Spiritual Growth

From a Christian perspective, human flourishing is analogous to spiritual growth. While the first focus on good emotions, the latter focus on virtue. Yet, there is no reason to believe one is opposed to the other. In fact, I would venture to guess that true spiritual health should lead to overall well-being even if that is not the case at first. Take the case of the virtue of forgiveness for example, which now has proven to be beneficial to one’s health. This is just one example as how spiritual growth correlates with human flourishing.

I also like how the idea of flourishing points to the image of a garden. Plants in a garden do not only grow in size, they also produce fruits. In the same way, spiritual growth manifests itself in the fruits of human flourishing. The well-being translates into personal and social thriving. It manifests itself in healthy relationships, greater personal focus, mastery of new skills, perseverance to complete difficult problems and overcome the daily challenges of life and work. The individual that flourishes will inspire flourishing in others as this virtuous cycle spills over to those around her.

The main point here is that those concepts are interconnected. To focus on spiritual growth without seeing it reflected in human flourishing makes the first incomplete. In fact, the connection between spiritual growth and human flourishing reflects Jesus’ insistence that we would know a tree by its fruits. That is, It cannot be an internal change if it does not translate into visible change.

A Picture of Human Flourishing

As I try to describe it, I ponder on the gift and privilege of being a parent. Seeing my children grow gives me most vivid picture of human flourishing. I see them growing in knowledge, character and skill in many areas. I celebrate with them, every milestone from mastering the basic skills of speaking, reading and learning to be kind. Slowly I realize how fast they are growing, how beautifully they are flourishing. They are not following the same path or becoming the same person. Yet, each one of them is reflecting their own flourishing in becoming more like their own selves.

My dream for AI theology is that we do not stay in the realm of the abstract but that this conversation translates into concrete human flourishing. It is not just about a transfer of knowledge but an unlocking of potential that bears fruit. That’s why I am interested in innovative forms of education that harness the possibilities of technology as a tool for human flourishing. As a tool, technology gives us the “know-how” to take the raw material we have to use it to solve problems. I would love to see many empowered with the knowledge to build AI solutions that solve social problems.

Let us keep dreaming.

 

Our Bodies Matter to God

Because robust theology cannot be done without a strong biblical foundation, I will occasionally blog on the lectionary. For those of you not familiar with the lectionary, it is system that divides the Bible in Sunday readings so that a congregation can cycle through all of Scripture in a period of 3 years. It is a mainstay in mainline denominations but is now also becoming common in non-denomination circles.

This is not a Sunday sermon but an attempt to reflect on all passages as one unit. I will be focusing on themes that emerge from the passages read in sequence along with a picture.

The picture for this lesson comes from a Christian community in Cameroon.

Second Sunday of Easter – Year A

(Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16; I Peter 1:3-9 and John 20:19-31)
The readings for this Sunday extend our Easter journey on its way to Pentecost. As I read the passages, body part references caught my attention:

Acts 2:26b – my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope

Acts 2:31b – David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, ‘He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.

Psalms 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.

Psalm 16:11b – in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

John 20:20b – he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

John 20:25 “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

 John 20:28 “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side.”

The text’s corporal emphasis points us to the bodily reality of the resurrection. This is a season in the church where we are admonished to look at our earthly vessels with hope. This draws a sharp contrast in how we often perceive our bodies.

Western thought leans on a dualistic foundation that divides the self into body and soul. This duality has permeated our theology often emphasizing the importance of the soul at the expense of the body. This division is also reflected in our technology that divides computers into hardware and software. With the emergence of social media, we also experience the division between an online and an offline life.

In this environment, we often feel fragmented and internally divided. It also forces us into false choices where one area gets neglected while other becomes over-emphasized. In Christian theology, this often means a focus on spiritual things (soul) over earthly matters (body).

Therefore, it is healing to hear the Early Christians’ emphasis on a bodily resurrection. This reminds us that the transformation of Christ is not just for our souls but has ramifications to our physical bodies. Our bodies are not just shells, they are destined to be transformed in Christ’s coming. They matter to God.

May you walk into the incarnate reality of the savior.

May you experience his power in this life.

May you get a taste of heaven in this season.

Peace.

Augmentation versus Automation: The True Struggle for AI Success

In the discussion about AI, a lot has been said about the fear of automation. Yet, not enough is said about augmentation. Automation replaces human work while augmentation enhances human work. Just think about mowing your grass without a motorized lawn mower and you get the picture of what augmentation looks like. Without it, you would have to cut all the grass, sweep it into piles and then throw it in the trash. The motorized mower does steps 1 and 2 at once while also diminishing your physical exertion in the process. AI technologies do the same but for work that requires thinking.

AI and Augmentation

Visionaries at Amazon and Google, imagine a future in which digital assistants like Alexa will cut through all the tech fragmentation present in our current devices. How? Think about how many apps exist on your phone. Wouldn’t be easier to have all those apps managed by a digital assistant? In organizing and simplifying our digital life, AI could eliminate the current inefficiencies of keeping up with so many apps giving us time to do other things. This would not only help our personal lives but also greatly simplify our work lives.

Think about how many different software you had to learn just to do your job. What if this software could be simplified through an AI interface? Think about a device that you don’t have to type to get what you need, instead you can simply speak to it in normal conversation.

There lies the promise of AI: its ability to augment our abilities to get things done. It can not only remove repetitive and inefficient tasks but also helps us improve on what we already do well. I certainly would love to have a digital assistant help me write this blog faster. It turned out to be a total failure so I am still waiting for better AI writers. The question becomes, will these Silicon Valley titans achieve their dreamed augmentation.

Photo by Science in HD on Unsplash

The False Promises of Automation

Contrary to augmentation, automation seeks to replace humans with machines that do job faster for cost-saving reasons. Think about the demise of manufacturing in this country, mainly driven by automation in factories. Consider the impact of truck drivers with the introduction of driver-less trucks. While companies could save millions by dispensing drivers, the human cost in lost income and social isolation would also be significant.

Automation does not lead to less work. At the beginning of the last century, some believed that because of the progress of technology, soon we would be working 4 hours a day or less. The thinking was that as machines automated manual work, humans would be free to sit by the pool seeping a margarita while the work gets completed. Needless to say, this scenario did not pan out.

Instead, we witnessed was the emergence of whole new work functions that now were needed to maintain the new technological ecosystem. Did we achieve new levels of productivity? Yes, but it certainly was not a linear process. As we could do more with less, organizations also started expecting workers to do more with their tools.

Above all, there has been an exponential increase in complexity. If automation enthusiasts envisioned a simpler future where work became easier they were woefully mistaken. The implementation of computerized machines added a whole sleuth of new requirements that weren’t there before. Surely that created the need for new occupations to emerge. Yet, as we look back at the 3 previous industrial revolutions, did they foster human flourishing?

A Theology for Machines?

As we approach the 4th industrial revolution, this augmentation vs automation framework allows us to reflect theologically on the role of machines. A theological view of technology, one that puts humanity before profit, will focus on steering tools towards augmentation as opposed to automation. It starts with how we view work. Is it a means to an end or an inherent part of our humanity? A utilitarian view of work will easily lead to the immoral way of automation. On the contrary, seeing work as an expression of our God-given humanity, can therefore see machine as allies rather than competitors for work.

Here we can also reflect on tools (technology) as an extension of the Imago Dei on us. God’s image imprint in us compel us to be creators through tools. On the flip side, the Bible often cautions us about the limitations of humanity. The Judeo-Christian tradition teaches us that there is only one Creator God who is greater than humanity. Any human attempt to usurp God’s place will be fraught with disaster.

Regardless of faith tradition, a theological view of technology will often ask the question: is this tool augmenting a human ability or replacing it? If it is replacing, what is the human loss? If it is augmenting, what are its limits? These questions alone should provide us some much-needed guidance as we step into the uncharted waters of Artificial Intelligence. May we ask them sooner rather than later.