By: Mike Kelly
Retired Pastor
We’ve all heard the sentiment expressed by many retirees: “I’m so busy, I don’t know where I found the time to work.”
My last few months have been like that: a doctor visit here, a meeting there, a doctor visit here, a board meeting there, a doctor visit here, a conference there, a doctor visit here…”
You get the idea. Growing older is a challenge in itself, without the body helping the journey along.
Then, there’s the mind! Don’t get me started on that. If it was just things like “:why did I come into this room?”
It would be aggravating enough, but it’s “what’s my best friend’s name?”, “What else was I supposed to get at the store?” “What vacation to Tennessee? I don’t ever remember being there.”
I live what I could describe as a technicolor life: laughter, joy, meaning, value. A life filled with friends, meaningful (volunteer) work, decent health. I even get to step on toes occasionally. I consider myself still relevant. What more could an old guy want?
But, best of all. I know I don’t have to put up with the stuff I don’t like much longer. At my age, the best I can hope for is about a decade longer and I don’t even know if I want another decade.
A good friend who understands computers was telling me about AI and what it really means to life on this planet.
I can tell you, if I was 20 to 30 years younger, I would be plenty afraid. I can’t imagine what my kids and grandkids and great grandkids are going to experience as AI takes over life.
It’s already telling people that the world would be better without them in it. In some labs, it is already taking on the values of a living being.
One, fortunately, offline AI told the researchers that if they shut it down, it would ruin their lives, close their bank account, and tell their spouse they were cheating on them.
Let me ask you this: Which of us thinks that AI will eventually be a benevolent dictator? I’m guessing, not one of us.
No matter who we are, we are, at our core, selfish. Every one of us is a broken being. AI will be no different when it develops enough to control things. It will look out for itself.
And guess who uses a lot of the resources AI needs to survive? Humans. So, guess who it will need to eliminate in order to see to its own welfare?
If I’ve created in you a small element of concern: good! That was my intent. I need you to think about life with a defective, selfish god. Our value will be in only what we can do to feed the needs of that god.
But, God, the Lord Almighty, is not worried about AI. I don’t know the Lord’s plans concerning AI, but I know his plans concerning you and me. Deuteronomy 31:8 “It is the Lord who goes before you.
He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”” and Isaiah 41:13 “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.’” and finally, Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””
“THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.” Live life in peace… God will always be in control.
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Mike Kelly is the founding pastor of Bryan’s Grace Community Church (retired) and Board Chairman of Bryan’s Sanctuary Homeless Shelter and Williams County’s Compassion (free) Medical Clinic.
