Do Not Say Thank You to ChatGPT (and 3 other guardrails for using AI)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

(Romans 12:2 ESV)

Earlier this week, Lindsay and I were goofing around with ChatGPT. We were saying random things and asking it random questions. At one point, just to see what it would say, I told it I liked fried pickles with ranch. The female voice replied and said it also likes fried pickles and once tried them at a diner.

Hold on a second.

I told ChatGPT this is not true. It has no real existence. And I chastised it a bit for anthropomorphizing and misleading people. Maybe this was a weird moment. It definitely was, come to think of it.

Ever since this “conversation”, I can’t stop thinking about the implications of this — the false humanization of AI. I think this is a very serious problem, making a non-entity relationally available to lonely and sinful people like us.

I am a late adopter of most technologies. I am 42 going on 82. But I see value in AI as a tool. I just think we need to test everything and be wise.

To that end, as one of your pastors, I want to share some of my thoughts on how we can safely use AI as a tool without losing ourselves in the process. Here are 4 guardrails for you to consider:

1. Do not consult AI when you should pray to the Lord. I get it, the AI will answer immediately and in the way you demand it to. It will agree with you and make you feel good about yourself. The Lord will answer in His perfect way and in His perfect timing, but it will cause you to move slowly, listen for His voice, and wait on His response. He may even use other people around you — and He very well might not give you the answer you want. So the temptation is there to ask ChatGPT. But don’t. Don’t. You don’t need the right answers but a new posture: to remember who God is in the middle of what you’re going through. So pray.

2. Do not treat AI the same way you’d treat a person. Don’t say thank you. I know that’s weird because it’s a humanized voice, and it’s rude not to thank people who help you. But it’s not a person. It has no emotion, no intention, no soul. Never, ever have a relational conversation with an AI. Instead, reach out to a brother or sister in Christ and talk to them. It’s less efficient, more frustrating, and more meaningful — because it’s real. A synthetic relationship may seem easy, but it’s utterly empty. People are image-bearers of God, and Christ-followers have the Spirit within them. Would you rather build a relationship with an image-bearer indwelled by God or a technology with no physical existence and no real empathy?

3. Do not let AI make you stupider. The human body and brain are wired by God to grow through struggle. Learning is hard, but it is worth it. You could easily ask an AI to summarize 2 Corinthians 5:20 and tell you how that relates to the Great Commission — or you could open your Bible, grab a pad and pen, and do the hard work of thinking deeply. It’ll take longer, and you’ll have a less polished outcome — but you will have grown in your knowledge of Scripture. Don’t take shortcuts in your spiritual growth.

4. Do not plagiarize with AI. This is a messy one, but one we really need to consider. There is a difference between using AI as a tool and using it to do your work for you. You know the difference. 

Brothers and sisters, the Spirit in you has infinite, immaculate, righteous wisdom. Therefore you have access to every resource for living a meaningful, beautiful life. The Spirit of truth will guide you into all the truth (John 16:13), and He will take what is Jesus’ and declare it to you (John 16:14). 

AI is a brilliant tool, and one we don’t need to be afraid of. We just need to be wise. We need proper guardrails.

The future of AI and our society is a topic much too big for me to tackle. I have no idea where all of this is going. But I know who holds the future. I know who has conquered the world. I know who has secured eternal life for His beloved. So let us look to Him for wisdom, meaning, purpose, and joy. And let us look to one another as we look to Him. And if we choose to use AI to make our lives better, let us do so with wisdom.

Can I end with a little Sunday School Jesus juke? It’s just a question, but the answer is revealing. Are you quicker to consult ChatGPT or God’s word?