The Artifice of Intelligence: Divine and Human Relationship in a Robotic Age

by Noreen Herzfeld, Ted Peters (Foreword)

AI is becoming ubiquitous. Whatever its arrival portends for our future, whether riches or ruin, it cannot be avoided. The Artifice of Intelligence explores two questions at the heart of a theological response to AI. Is it possible for human beings to have authentic relationships with an AI? How does the increasing presence of AI change the way humans relate to one another? In pursuing answers to these questions, Herzfeld explores what it means to be created in the image of God and to create AI in our own image. It utilizes and expands Karl Barth's relational understanding of the imago Dei to examine humanity's relationship both with AI and, through it, with one another. Barth's injunctions--look the other in the eye (embodiment), speak to and hear the other (communication), aid the other (agency), and do it gladly (emotion)--provide the basis for the main chapters, each of which concludes with a case study of a current AI application that exemplifies the difficulties AI introduces into human relationality. The Artifice of Intelligence concludes with an examination of the incarnation, one that points toward the centrality of embodiment for full relationality.

Genres: Artificial Intelligence, Philosophy, Theology, Science, Technology

208 pages, Paperback

Published February 28, 2023

Reviews

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best treatment on AI that I have read by a theologian.

Upon getting this book I was worried that it might be too technical in both its theological and technological vocabulary to make a big impact. I was very pleasantly surprised when I found it incredibly readable and the arguments focused, well argued, and succinct (a rarity in academic works.)

Herzfeld does a wonderful job in challenging the popular beliefs about AI as well as attacking the philosophical and moral shallowness of transhumanist “religion” that has taken off in the last decade or so. However, Herzfeld isn’t AI negative, she takes the wise golden mean position (not her words, mine) and acknowledges the positives of this technology while maintaining a need for checks and balances and regulation. Of course, she also readily admits that much of our fears about AI are based on assumptions about where the tech could go rather than what is actually possible.

All of this technological argumentation comes alongside of philosophy and theology developed from Buber and Barth with the I-It/I-Thou distinction being crucial in determining how to feel about AI. Herzfeld does use scripture effectively, but I would have liked it more. It’s not that she needed it, but from a theoretical perspective it would have been helpful to have it.

This is the type of Christian scholarship we need at this time and I hope that Herzfeld continues to write and publish in this field. Maybe even a version of this book geared towards a popular audience.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. It's an enaging text and Herzfeld is a good writer. However, I found the book full of assertions that I didn't think she had had really proven. It felt like a kind of brute force style of argument and it left me frustrated. I also think her discussion of embodiment is a little bit lacking and her instance that we must not personalize AI a little flimsy. A nice intro the topic if you haven't thought much about AI and theology, but not my favorite treatment of the subject.

[Glen O'Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in an accessible style it’s not a bad introduction to the field. It relies on Barth’s theology for its critique of AI but without a great deal of depth. While it recognises the benefits of AI it primarily raises objections based on the importance of embodiment.

[Gustavo Arturo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es un libro excelente para introducir en los dilemas de la Inteligencia artificial y una mirada desde la fe.

[E. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good summary of thinking about the field theologically. Don't feel it gave me any great new insights though.

[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5⭐️