Artificial Intelligence - The One Year Father-Daughter Devotions

Artificial Intelligence

What does GIGO mean to you? No, it’s not the name of a bounty hunter in one of the Star Wars movies. Nor is it the insurance company whose advertising features that cute gecko. If you’re handy with computers, you know that GIGO stands for “garbage in, garbage out.” In other words, if invalid data gets entered into a computer program, you can count on the output being just as messed up. That’s because a machine is only as smart as the intelligence put into it by its designer.

For that reason, using the term “artificial intelligence” to describe supersmart technology is sort of misleading. There’s nothing artificial about it. It takes genuinely sharp, gifted people to develop a computer that can navigate physical space, interpret spoken language, or answer more trivia questions than Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings. These brainy contraptions simply do what they’ve been programmed to do. So who really deserves the credit?

Before you applaud some MIT grad with a pocket protector, keep in mind that Proverbs 2:6 tells us, “The LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” And not just in spiritual things. God allows us insight into his creation and how things work, from astronomy to medicine to technology. So instead of calling it “artificial” intelligence, maybe we should call it “thirdhand” intelligence: first revealed by God to man, then programmed by man into machines, and finally applied by those well-schooled gadgets.

Did you know that a major test of thirdhand intelligence occurred on this date in 1996? That’s when IBM’s chess-playing computer Deep Blue beat Garry Kasparov in the first game of a historic match eventually won by the reigning world champion. Kasparov got bragging rights. The engineers behind Deep Blue got pats on the back. Yet there’s no record of anyone pausing to praise God, the source of all intelligence. Why don’t you take a moment to thank him yourself?

Daddy-Daughter Time

In what ways do people take credit for knowledge, talent, or wisdom for which God really deserves glory?

An amazing example of the Lord’s craftsmanship is the uniqueness of each snowflake. To get a better look at some snowflakes, staple black velvet to a firm, flat surface and place it in the freezer. Next time you see flurries, catch snowflakes on it. They should retain their shape on the soft, cold velvet—perfect for a closer look under a magnifying glass!

What’s The Word?

The LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.   Proverbs 2:6