THE AGE OF A.I
Written by Iris Niven
Many years ago, an American economist was broadcasting his predictions for the era of A.I. and its surge of dominance in the future. We could not escape this power to change our way of life with all its challenges as well as its benefits.
One thing is certain, he concluded, we will come to realize that nothing can replace the value of the human touch.
Over eight million categories of jobs may be efficiently performed by A.I, but it cannot of itself care if we live or die when we are bedridden, weak, helpless and depressed, and in need of practical comfort and reassurance.
How true. Having witnessed the patience and compassion with which our nursing staff provide help with the most basic needs of those who are dependent on the kindness of others, whilst still preserving dignity and respect, one can only feel humbled and inspired. We should never take such care for granted, nor award it scant reward.
The Bible presents us with the beautiful, iconic story of the Good Samaritan who came to the aid of a man left battered and bleeding by the wayside. Two travellers had passed by on the road, too concerned with status and tradition to offer assistance. The Samaritan however asked no questions of the victim, but spent his own time and money to bring him to a place of safety and healing care. The example never loses its relevance in our advanced world of today.
As we embrace the age of robots and machines, we need to reflect on the gains but also on what we may disregard at our peril. The proud boast is that humankind is building an intelligent force that is bigger, greater and faster than ourselves. Yet it has no spirit to commune with our spirit, nor capacity to empathise with our innermost emotions of joy, grief, triumph, fear and love.
In her book entitled ‘Beyond Ourselves’, Catherine Marshall expresses the glowing happiness of becoming aware of the love of God, the conviction of who Christ actually is, and his intercession for us before the holiness of God to whom we are called to account. We already have Someone beyond ourselves, Jehovah the Living One, the self-existing Being, the Lord our Righteousness. He is the Great I Am, who was, and is, and is to come, who inhabits Eternity, forever the same. He has many other meaningful names. He is Yaweh, Jehovah Rohi, our Shepherd. He is Jehovah Shalom, our peace, Jehovah Ropheca who heals us, Jehovah Jireh who provides, Jehovah Nissi our banner, and Jehovah who is our strength and our song (Isa:12)
He gives us pardon, peace, new life and fresh purpose. As the hymn by Samuel Davies presents the question in ‘Great God of Wonders’, we can answer-
“In wonder lost, with trembling joy,
we take the pardon of our God,
pardon for sins of deepest dye,
a pardon sealed with Jesus’ blood:
Who is a pardoning God like Thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?