The World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Science Working Group, which met on 27 November, is exploring further theological resources, digital communication and digital justice, and AI and digitalisation related to health and caregiving. Artificial intelligence: perspectives WCC moderator Bishop Dr Heinrich was among the speakers, and noted that a crucial problem is the extent to which technological production aimed at enhancing humans is reconcilable with the conviction that human beings are created in the image of God. From a bio-logistical view, human beings are seen as a series of algorithms, “however, this is quite different from the Christian view, in which God gives us dominion over the works of his hands, but we still are lower,” said Bedford Strohm. “As it was pointed out by theologian Karl Barth, human beings can only be understood if they are interpreted from the humanity of Jesus.” This framework reveals two crucial features in humans: relationality and vulnerability, continued Bedford-Strohm. “Suffering and imperfectness need to be included in the image of human beings; then AI is a means to alleviate suffering and not to perfect us,” he said. “The conclusion is that AI does not have religious significance, but it is only an instrument to assist and help other people with responsibility.” Rev. Dr Tracy Trothen, from Queen’s University, offered a perspective from the United Church of Canada. “AI technologies in relationships not only have positive physical effects but also emotional, cognitive, moral, or even spiritual effects,” she said. “To determine how far we should go with AI depends on what we mean by normal; however, the line between normal and beyond is blurry.” If AI technologies have positive benefits, they can help us to care for each other—for instance, in facilities, hospitals, or even just in our homes, she noted. “However, the challenge is not to give up our social responsibility to care that the church holds, nor a relational life.” Manuel David Morales, an astrophysicist and postdoctoral researcher at the Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico, noted that some crucial topics should not be absent in discussions about AI, including the importance and relevance of democratizing AI technologies. “Then, one crucial question to ask is: How could we theologically interpret and promote this turn in AI technology development and fundamental research?” he said. “We live in an age in which there is a huge power imbalance between the Global North and the Global South, but, at the same time, we are more aware of the limits of modernity and the relevance of plurality and relationality in the world.” Morales also said that it is really important to avoid, at all costs, faulty, sloppy, and incomplete knowledge generation under neocolonial schemes. “Any international discussion about AI must consider a wide spectrum of experts in terms of their ethnicities and, particularly, those who do research in countries from the Global South,” he said. The video of the webinar is available at: https://youtu.be/GOSpDI9Phgg | 
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