Singularity
Singularity.
You’ve no doubt heard the word in recent days. You have likely heard something like, “The singularity is here,” or “We are living in the singularity.”
In short, the term is used to describe a point in time when artificial intelligence exceeds human capacity. The current cultural conversation on this topic feels a bit like the lead-up to “Y2K” and the anticipated-but-not-yet-known technological ramifications of calendars rolling from 1999 to 2000. There is one main difference: In 1999, there was mostly fear and trepidation in the atmosphere while today there is a certain tinge of utopian euphoria in much of the AI-involved conversation. There is a hope that singularity will mean a rapid acceleration of human capacity and a dramatic decline, or even ceasing of, human suffering.
Spoiler alert: While technological advances can make—and in fact already have made—life more comfortable, there is no Utopia or ceasing of suffering coming on this side of heaven (Matt. 26:11).
As a Jesus follower, you know better. You also know this reality is for the better, as you and I were made to bring glory to God, not take the place of God. The struggle against a desire to be like God is as old as the Garden of Eden and includes technologically-adjusted parallel events like the building of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11.
We think we want to be like God. We act like we want to be like God. We build towers and design technologies in the hopes of reaching God or having God-like knowledge and power. But the truth is we were made not to be like God but rather in the image of God and for the purpose of bringing Him glory (Gen. 1:27; Is. 43:7).
So let’s level-set today. There is a Source of knowledge and power that exceeds all human capacity. That Source has existed since before time and resides outside the human confines of space (Gen. 1:1-2; Jn. 1:1-5). That Source is the eternal God—a God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one of which—the Son—took on human flesh in order that you might have access to God. That access comes not through human capacity or towers or technological singularity, but through association with the Son.
Over the next few weeks, our community here at The Equipped is going to go back to the basics a bit on this matter. We find our rooting at The Equipped in the promise of 2 Tim. 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
We talk frequently about that end goal of being equipped, and it’s a very worthwhile goal! We must be equipped, especially in a cultural moment of debate around aspirations like singularity! But how do we become equipped? What does it mean that God’s word can teach, and rebuke, and correct, and train in such a dynamic way that you can be thoroughly equipped for EVERY good work?
That’s an intensely powerful promise worth exploring in greater depth, which we will do over the next few weeks.
In the meantime, are you living in the singularity? Will artificial intelligence soon surpass human capacity?
Or is that even the correct question? Because you already serve the One about Whom it is said, “[H]is understanding has no limit” (Ps. 147:5). So even if artificial intelligence soon exceeds human intelligence, there is nothing artificial about the One Who created all things, both seen and unseen (Col. 1:16), and His glory is unsurpassable (2 Cor. 3:10-11)!
You can be equipped for every good work coming your way. The secret is in the teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training available in singular authority of God’s Word.
The preceding article originally appeared in Thann’s “The Equipped” Weekly Newsletter. For more information on Thann’s weekly email, click here.