Policy / Support Efforts to Shape Artificial Intelligence and Technology that Emphasize Human Dignity

Support Efforts to Shape Artificial Intelligence and Technology that Emphasize Human Dignity

Southern Baptists affirm that every human is created in the image of God. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 defines man as “the special creation of God, made in His own image” and affirms that “every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.”

Southern Baptists affirm that technology can be harnessed for good or for evil. In the 2023 resolution “On Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies,” Southern Baptists became the first denomination to make such a statement on Artificial Intelligence and encouraged “all who employ these tools to do so in honest, transparent, and Christlike ways that focus on loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves.” Additionally, Southern Baptists confessed “that God alone has the power to create life,” noting that despite technological advances and new developments, man will never truly be able to create life; all remains under the sway of God’s sovereignty.

Upholding human dignity must be at the center of any AI regulation. The 2023 resolution went on to say “that human dignity must be central to any ethical principles, guidelines, or regulations for any and all uses of these powerful emerging technologies” and called “civic, industry, and government leaders to develop, maintain, regulate, and use these technologies with the utmost care and discernment, upholding the unique nature of humanity as the crowning achievement of God’s creation.”

The ERLC led a 2019 Evangelical Statement of Principles on Artificial Intelligence (AI), which seeks to encourage the use of AI were permissible and encourages usage and development of AI in alignment with the Southern Baptist view of human dignity. In this statement, the ERLC affirmed that the “church has a unique role in proclaiming human dignity for all and calling for the humane use of AI in all aspects of society,” noting that “God is omniscient and that nothing we create will be able to thwart His redemptive plan for creation or to supplant humanity as His image-bearers.”

As our leaders grapple with these new technologies, the ERLC supports ongoing efforts to shape artificial intelligence and technology in a manner consistent with human flourishing.