Dr. Alex McFarland recently told American Family Radio people should not believe everything they see on the internet, including information from artificial intelligence (AI).
"First of all, let me say what potentially might be good and positive about using AI," he began. "In some ways, it is kind of like googling something. AI is trolling thousands of servers, and in a matter of seconds, you have the potential at least to glean the best of the best of the internet."
When the search goes deeper than dinner recipes or how to build a deck, that is where he urges caution.
"When it comes to things like morals and sexuality and political positions, much of what the AI engines will regurgitate to us is very leftist," McFarland pointed out. "That's not surprising."
The information AI gathers depends on what the user asks. ChadGPT offers the option of serving as a "neutral guide" that lays out perspectives or more like a "sounding board" that tests and refines the user's own views.
When asked, "Is AI a recommended source for learning about deep topics like morals and sexuality?" ChatGPT begins by stating that its "clarity and accessibility" are helpful in summarizing "complex philosophical, psychological, or medical ideas in plain language."
But it also appears to recognize its own limitations and bias, explaining that all AI models are trained on "vast data" from sources that are not equally reliable or culturally sensitive.
With this in mind, McFarland reiterated that Christians should exercise caution when consulting AI, bearing in mind that "woke people" in Silicon Valley are behind chatbots.
