A Christian Ethic for AI? An Investigation of Statements from the Roman Catholic Church and Southern Baptist Convention

Abstract

This thesis investigates the possibility of a distinctly Christian framework for how to design and use artificial intelligence (AI). It begins with an overview of AI including landmark events since its creation, current areas of application, and ethical questions that accompany AI. It then explores common views of AI and their ethical implications. Next, it studies statements connected with two large Christian denominations, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and the Roman Catholic Church. These documents outline each denomination’s ethical framework for designing and implementing AI moving forward. All views investigated are then compared to one another. The conclusion considers the presence of a Christian view of AI. I suggest that Christianity provides specific boundaries for AI development and use that are not exclusive to the religion but rather can be agreed upon by a diverse community.