Organized Intelligence is a new Faith Matters initiative supported by the Future of Life Institute that brings together Latter-day Saint voices from across disciplines to explore the ethical, social, and spiritual dimensions of AI.
Our first gathering will take place November 4-5 in Salt Lake City, Utah and will convene scholars, creatives, technologists, and religious leaders to discuss questions such as:
What are the most pressing societal risks posed by advanced AI systems?
How might unchecked AI development exacerbate social divisions, economic opportunities, instability, or loss of human agency?
How can faith traditions offer insight into the ethical and spiritual challenges raised by AI?
In what ways might religious voices contribute to shaping AI governance and public policy?
How can AI be harnessed responsibly for humanitarian and faith-based purposes while guarding against its risks?
WHY ORGANIZED INTELLIGENCE
Advancing at an unprecedented pace, with new developments and applications emerging almost daily, as a technology that mimics human intelligence, AI raises profound questions about what it means to be human as well as the ethical and practical implications of creating intelligent machines. These questions likely intersect a faith tradition’s core doctrines, beliefs, and practices.
Both the upsides and the drawbacks of the impact of AI on religious beliefs, traditions, and practices, and society, more broadly, highlight the need for careful consideration and ethical guidelines in the development and application of AI. Above all, they underscore the absolute necessity of rigorously and systematically engaging with these issues.
The need for this engagement is twofold. Firstly, our faith tradition, with its emphasis on continuous revelation and human agency, offers valuable insights that can guide the ethical development and use of AI. Secondly, as scholars and disciples, we have a responsibility to understand how these technological changes might impact our religious community and its practices, and how to harness the developing technologies for improving the world around us.
