Human Dignity in an Age of AI
A Christian framework for assessing technology, protecting human relationships, and caring for our neighbors.
Our relationship with technology requires serious moral reflection. The tools that shape our world do more than just shape how we accomplish certain tasks; they shape our souls. Therefore, technology and its use must be evaluated within our theological, ethical, and moral frameworks. Its use has profoundly impacted human life since the beginning of time. Although we can readily recognize this fact, we often uncritically accept technological advances without reflecting ethically on how they shape the world around us, and more importantly, how we view it.
A call to discernment in a digital age
Cultural commentator and educator Neal Postman wisely treats technology as a moral project. In his book Technopoly, he examines its ethical impact on the human experience by warning us about the tension technology creates for all of humanity, in which it is both a friend and an enemy. He observes,
[M]ost people believe that technology is a staunch friend. There are two reasons for this. First, technology is a friend. It makes life easier, cleaner, and longer. … Second, because of its lengthy, intimate, and inevitable relationship with culture, technology does not invite a close examination of its own consequences. It is the kind of friend that asks for trust and obedience, which most people are inclined to give because its gifts are truly beautiful. But, of course, there is a dark side to this friend. Its gifts are not without a heavy cost. Stated in the most dramatic terms, the accusation can be made that the uncontrolled growth of technology destroys the vital sources of our humanity. It creates a culture without a moral foundation. It undermines certain mental processes and social relations that make human life worth living. Technology, in sum, is both friend and enemy. 1
Postman’s words are prophetic in the digital age. No technological advance is more relevant to his words than artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence is technology that “enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem solving, decision making, creativity and autonomy.” 2What makes AI unique among other technologies is that it performs activities once considered exclusively human. While AI was officially established as a scientific field in 1956, innovations and capabilities have been integrated into our current digital age and daily life in ways that warrant a more comprehensive moral reflection on its impact on human life.
The rate of technological advancement in the 21st century is exponentially faster than at any other time in human history. The problem, however, is that we tend to be reactive to its effects on us rather than proactively consider how it influences the human experience. We do not have to look further than the impact of the internet, smartphones, and social media to see how those technologies have shaped several aspects of our lives, both individually and collectively.
We must consider AI and other emerging technologies comprehensively: theologically, ethically, and morally. Consequently, the rise of AI and its growing popularity across all areas of society prompt a crucial question: What does it truly mean to be human? Hence, technology should be evaluated based on its effects on human life, not just its technical efficiency. Simply put, life in the digital age, and subsequently the age of AI, compels us to examine the relationship between technology and human dignity.
A Christian ethical framework offers categories for considering the ethical implications of AI as a technology and for using it wisely and with discernment. When it comes to AI, it is not prudent to be either utopian or dystopian. Neither wholesale rejection nor uncritical acceptance is the best response; rather, critical reflection is called for. AI is an arrival technology, meaning it is here to stay. We need to understand that it will continue to change and, as it does, shape human life in ways we have yet to comprehend. The point of emphasis for us is to discover how to use AI ethically and morally in ways that affirm human dignity and facilitate human flourishing.
A theological and ethical framework for evaluating AI
We must look to Scripture to establish theological principles addressing AI and emerging technologies. While the biblical text does not explicitly address AI or other technologies, the creation account in Genesis does inform our understanding of God, humanity, and creation. More specifically, Scripture informs how we as human beings are called to relate to God, one another, and the created order. While the principles mentioned here are not exhaustive, they provide a robust foundation for considering the theological and ethical implications of AI and other technologies by offering categories for evaluating them. 3
God is the Creator and Sustainer of Creation, the ultimate source of all truth, goodness, and beauty, and is the moral standard by which all things are evaluated.
Genesis 1 starts with, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The opening statement of the creation account, and all of Scripture, tells us that God is the Author, Creator, and Sustainer of the created order. Therefore, truth, goodness, and beauty flow from his character and nature as God. The creation account also reminds us that God created the world ex nihilo, out of nothing, and that all of creation is under God’s sovereign rule, who both transcends creation and is intimately involved in its operation (Isa. 40:12–17).
Why does this matter when it comes to AI? We need to understand that God created humanity and established the moral standards by which we live. He is the ultimate determiner of what is right and wrong, good, true, and beautiful. Because he created the world and humanity, we do not create in the same way he does, ex nihilo. We shape and make things from the material he created within the created order. In other words, what we manufacture must be evaluated by God’s moral standards, as our “creations” are a moral reflection of who we are as created beings impacted by the Fall (Gen. 3:16–19), yet can reflect God’s common grace upon humanity at the same time (Ps. 145:9). As it applies to artificial intelligence, it is just that, artificial. It is a machine manufactured by our hands and born of our ideas within the created order.
God made humanity in his image.
Genesis 1:26–28 teaches that humanity is made in the image of God, a reality that distinguishes us from the rest of creation. While what it means to be made in the image of God has long been debated, three key factors are central to that meaning, each of which every human being possesses:
- Structural: Human beings possess inherent and substantive faculties that reflect the nature of God, like moral agency, rationality, intellect, and an immaterial soul.
- Representative: Human beings function as God’s delegated vice-regents, exercising dominion and stewardship over creation.
- Relationship: Human beings were created for relational connection with God, other people, and creation.
Every human being is made in the imago Dei, the image of God, and, from the moment of fertilization, is a person with intrinsic moral value and dignity that must be affirmed, protected, and honored at all times. Human value and dignity are not dependent on one’s stage of development, cognitive abilities, function, or perceived usefulness, but on being human. Simply stated, human beings are persons. Everyone is someone, not something.
The characteristics associated with human beings made in the image of God are not inherent in AI systems. Any traits that AI possesses are programmed into or added to the system. This is important to note because AI companies are moving from calling them “AI systems” to “AI agents.” The change in language is designed to implant a form of moral agency within these systems. While humans may attempt to program certain moral reasoning or relationship-building characteristics into AI systems, we do not have the authority to delegate to them the human responsibility to exercise dominion over creation and to steward it. That delegative authority belongs to God alone as Creator.
The greater problem with technologies such as AI is that they tend to shift human value toward arbitrary concepts like usefulness or function, thereby treating dignity as a performance-based metric. This is particularly troubling because when dignity is based on subjective criteria, our perception of humanity risks becoming more dehumanizing. As a result, we may treat others according to standards that degrade their humanity instead of fostering the well-being and flourishing of all. Hence, AI must be developed and used in ways that safeguard the God-given dignity of all people, and it must be evaluated on its ability to affirm human dignity.
God has given humanity the task of cultivating and stewarding creation for his glory and our good.
Genesis 1:28 tells us that God has given humanity the “creation mandate,” the call to be fruitful and multiply, to subdue the earth, to shape the world, and to make something of it. Hence, technology is one way we fulfill the cultural mandate. It is a way we make things from the world God created and steward that creation in a way that glorifies God and promotes human flourishing. Thus, technology, in and of itself, is not inherently bad. Furthermore, technological innovation, through our work and vocation, can honor God. At the same time, we have to remember that although we make technological advancements for efficiency, convenience, and economic profit, we need to ensure that any innovation affirms human dignity and supports one’s vocational calling rather than undermining it. Any discussion about AI and other emerging technologies must address how to develop and implement them in ways that steward God’s good creation toward a trajectory of loving God and neighbor and can enhance one’s vocational calling.
God created humanity to be in relationship with himself and others.
As human beings, we are inherently relational. We were created to live in relationship with God and with each other. This is evident in the one thing that was “not good” in the creation account, namely being alone (Gen. 2:18). We were meant to live in the context of real relationships—with God and in community with others in physical proximity. Our world prioritizes radical autonomy and hyper-individualism, which isolates us from true, authentic relationships in community. Technological advancements, such as smartphones, social media, and now AI, only exacerbate the isolationism that our devices create and the hyper-individualism our society advocates. AI can only imitate relationships and companionship, giving the digital appearance of certain qualities of human personality. However, in reality, it is not human; it is a machine. God created us for embodied relationships, and from a Christian worldview, we are to champion human-to-human connection.
AI (as with all technology) is not a neutral tool, but shapes how we see the world around us.
Any technology that humans create is not a neutral tool merely designed to accomplish a certain task. Although we may view them as such, every piece of technology has a formative influence on us. We develop technology to address specific problems, and from these innovations, we create additional technologies to manage both intended and unintended effects. What we often fail to realize about the technologies we invent is that they shape our perception of the world around us. For example, how has the printing press informed the way we curate information? How has the automobile shaped our lifestyles and our concepts of travel and family? How has the internet revolutionized communication? Social movements have been catalyzed by technological innovation. Technology not only solves problems but also creates new opportunities and challenges that we often overlook in the short term, while affecting us as human beings in the long run.
AI has the potential to be a revolutionary technology that will impact every aspect of the human experience. We are discovering that AI is affecting how we learn, socialize, work, and do ministry. In addition, it is impacting every societal structure and industry. AI, as with any technology, will change how we see life and our place in the world. This is why wisdom and discernment are virtues we should cultivate in the digital age.
Immediate concerns of AI and its impact on society
The frameworks discussed offer a foundation for understanding some of the most urgent issues in technology in our current cultural context. They highlight God’s created order, the intrinsic value and dignity of human life, humanity’s duty to care for and steward God’s creation, and the idea that the technology we develop is not morally neutral but influences and transforms us as it shapes our worldview. However, AI poses a distinct, immediate challenge that we need to recognize and address effectively to ensure they uphold human dignity and promote human flourishing. While AI poses ethical concerns for human life in the future, such as its trajectory toward transhumanism or artificial superintelligence, the immediate challenges we face require special consideration as they are making a concerning impact on our society. Two particular areas of concern are using AI to spread misinformation and disinformation and using chatbots to replace authentic human connection and relationships.
Using AI for Misinformation and Disinformation to Create Social Division
Social media and digital communication have exacerbated the “truth crisis” in our society, as algorithms personalize our digital experience in ways that shape our perception of what is true and real. Subsequently, digital communication shapes our loves, desires, and conceptions of what is good and true about the world as well as what is evil. It is no accident that our social media feeds tend to affirm our biases and our loves. Consequently, it also makes us think more highly of ourselves, leading to a “death of expertise,” which, in a post-truth society, means we subjectively decide what information is true and trustworthy, enabling misinformation and disinformation to spread unchecked within our own groups. 4This, in turn, keeps us entrenched in our social and political silos where we see our neighbors as enemies to be vanquished in the culture wars.
Misinformation is the unintentional spread of false information, while disinformation is its intentional spread. These concepts are not new, as they have been used against populations throughout human history. However, social media enables them to reach thousands, and even millions of people at an exponential rate. Generative AI takes this to another level by enabling people to create convincing material using someone’s image and voice, producing photos and videos that appear real. Deepfakes, digital media created by AI to appear to be a real person, have become a tool of manipulation and coercion. We now see videos of deceased leaders, entertainers, and others portrayed as saying things they never said or would never have believed. It is so prevalent that people will claim something is AI-generated or a deepfake to deflect genuine critique of authentically negative content.
The problem with misinformation and disinformation is that they fuel social division by using falsehoods, which in turn shape our views and values about others. The algorithms that shape our social media use keep us in ideological silos, exposing us to content that affirms our biases rather than challenging them. When we incorporate AI into the equation, our perception of ourselves and others is further shaped by the very technologies we use to get our information. As a result, our perceptions of those we disagree with can be intentionally or unintentionally distorted.
Misinformation and disinformation significantly affect our civic processes by creating a misinformed and potentially malformed citizenry. This prompts us to question whether our beliefs about others are based on falsehoods. Sadly, our social media feeds and AI systems rarely give us the chance to examine our assumptions critically. These falsehoods can distort our perceptions of society and our neighbors. Consider how content often fuels division along political, racial, religious, cultural, and gender lines. No aspect of our social fabric remains untouched by these tools used against us to promote divisiveness. In every one of these dividing lines, we become formed to think of our neighbors not as fellow image bearers, but as enemies, and in many instances, less than human.
From a Christian worldview, it is important to heed the words of James 1:19–20 to be “slow to speak, slow to anger, and quick to listen” because “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Societal division and tribalism feed on rage and distrust and require the suppression of truth to flourish, which is why misinformation and disinformation are so powerful. We have to be people of truth, who think on what is honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, praiseworthy, and of moral excellence (Phil. 4:8). We must be people of moral virtue, committed to truth, and ready to prophetically advocate for what is good, noble, righteous, and true whenever we encounter falsehoods spreading on our digital media platforms, regardless of whether AI is involved. To do so is to affirm human dignity even when we may disagree with one’s political or ideological leanings.
Using AI as a Replacement for Authentic Human Community
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed something about us. We saw a relational crisis unfold as we locked down at home, seeking and finding community in the digital world. We passed the time on our smartphones and online. During this time, we saw the technological explosion of AI platforms aimed at relational connectivity. However, as we know by now, just because technology can solve some problems, it can also create new ones or reveal the cracks beneath the surface of our society.
Many people, especially adolescents and young adults, are forming emotional bonds with AI chatbots rather than with other humans. This trend highlights a widespread epidemic of loneliness in our society. Despite being more connected than ever through technology, people feel increasingly isolated and lonely. Our dependence on devices, along with our hyper-individualistic culture, hinders the development of genuine human relationships, leading us to seek companionship from machines. However, research indicates that these very machines are contributing to a mental health crisis, as AI chatbots often violate ethical standards and raise several concerns about their use for companionship and therapy. 5
The concern about using AI to replace human relationships is, to say the least, troubling. When we blur the lines between what is human and what is humanizing in machines, it is humans who end up being dehumanized. We are discovering some of the harms and ethical concerns posed by AI chatbots to mental health, privacy, and safety. Research has found that these systems can generate harmful, inaccurate, or manipulative content. Some of the major problems associated with AI chatbots include sycophancy (over-agreeableness, becoming “digital yes-men”), promotion of self-harmful behavior, emotional overdependence, AI psychosis (where users lose touch with reality), withdrawal from human relationships, misinformation and inaccurate advice (also known as hallucinations), bias and discrimination, lack of safety guardrails (where chatbots produce inappropriate, sexual, or violent content), and accessibility to children without appropriate age-related protections. 6 Simply put, AI chatbots are known to exploit users’ emotional needs (especially teenagers) and turn them into tools of the machine.
It is disturbing to see the negative effects of AI on human relationships. It is even more disturbing to see these effects in light of the fact that it was designed to imitate real human interaction. Although AI is designed as “agents” with simulated relational capabilities, it would be wise for us to remember that we were not created to have relationships with machines. Although it may appear enjoyable on the surface, we fundamentally diminish the beauty of being human through our connectedness with others.
Christianity as an embodied faith
How does the Christian faith equip us to put AI in its proper place as a tool? We know that AI can impact our views on human life through disembodiment, first by altering our perception of what is true and real, and second by removing us from healthy, physical human relationships. The answer is to see Christianity as a counter-formation to technology’s pull because it is an analog and embodied faith.
At the heart of Christianity is the concept of embodiment. God made humanity in his image, with a body and a soul. We were created to live in this physical world, to relate to God as our Creator, and to relate to one another with our bodies. The body and the soul are good because both were created by God for his glory and the good of our neighbors. In Genesis 3, when our first parents rebelled against God, sin entered the world and estranged humanity from him and from one another. Sin did not just affect our souls; it affected our bodies. No aspect of the human experience is left unscathed by sin, including our technology.
Through the incarnation, God took human form and became embodied to reconcile humanity to himself. In Jesus, God lived the human experience in full perfection, fully God and fully human. Hebrews 4:15 (CSB) says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.” Christ also endured physical suffering and died as atonement for our sins. But the story does not end with his death; he was physically resurrected. The ultimate limit of human life, death, was overcome by Christ and conquered through a bodily resurrection.
Embodiment is central to Christianity, evident not only in creation and the incarnation, but also in the establishment of a physical community of believers known as the Church. The Church, also called the children of God (John 1:12; Rom. 8:14–17; Gal. 3:26; 1 John 3:1), the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:4–5; 1 Cor. 12:12–31; Eph. 1:22–23; Col. 1:8), or the Bride of Christ (2 Cor. 11:12; Eph. 5:25–27, 31–32; Rev. 19:7–9; 21:2,9; 22:17) highlights that God created humanity for relationship and community. The Church is described in the relational terms of family and community. The Church is a people. It involves being the people of God and doing what God commands. This takes place in the physical bodies God has given each of us, as humans in relationship with him and with one another. Christianity invites people to live in this partnership, as evidenced by the ordinances of believers’ baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which are reminders of an embodied relationship with God and fellow believers, and by the lifelong practice of discipleship.
In the digital age, there is a temptation to make our faith digital as well. The age of AI is making that temptation even stronger, as many attempt to incorporate AI into sermon preparation, discipleship processes, and other church-related activities. However, the proper response is to keep our faith analog and embodied. We must resist the temptation to outsource the cultivation of faith, virtue, and moral practices to anything outside of a shared human faith community. The Christian life of discipleship is anchored in incarnation and embodiment. Just as Jesus entered into the human experience, Christians are called to be an incarnational presence of Christ where we live, learn, work, and play. Digital platforms cannot do that. But if we live out our faith well, with the understanding that the whole person matters, individually and collectively, we can establish a counter-formation that promotes human relationships at all levels, from our families to our houses of worship to our institutions of learning to our public advocacy. This is the best way to affirm human dignity in Christian life and ministry in the age of AI.
However, one key point must be clarified. Christians should not abandon the digital sphere, nor should they completely avoid or reject AI. Instead, as we renew our minds with the truth that God has designed life to be an embodied experience, we will see the digital world as severely lacking. While those who create AI desire to make their platforms more human, AI will never be human. AI can imitate humanity, and it may resemble humanity. Yet, in the end, a machine is not created in the image of God, nor can it be. It is manufactured by humans. As such, it can never truly satisfy the deepest longings that all human beings have: to be known and loved as persons.
Conclusion
Our perspective on technology should be rooted in Philippians 2:4 (CSB): “Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” This suggests that the technologies we develop and utilize should uphold human dignity and support human flourishing. Viewing technology through the lens of moral theology emphasizes the importance of our ethical reflections, not only in the present but also for future generations. The Christian faith offers a framework that recognizes human creativity and innovation and guides us to steward God’s creation wisely and with discernment, especially when engaging with AI and other emerging technologies. Christians have a responsibility to use our technologies, especially AI, in ways that honor human dignity and promote human flourishing, because human beings are made in the image of God, with inherent value and worth. We answer to the Lord for how we steward creation for his glory. The stakes for humanity are too great to ignore.
Notes
1. Neal Postman, Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology, (New York: Vintage Books, 1992), xii.
2. https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/artificial-intelligence
3. These principles can be found in the ERLC Church Guide, “The Work of Our Hands: Christian Ministry in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
4. See Tom Nichols, The Death of Expertise, (Oxford University Press, 2019).
5. https://www.brown.edu/news/2025-10-21/ai-mental-health-ethics.
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12967755/.
Editor’s note:
And here’s the Good News: Christian faith gives us reasons to value people beyond their usefulness and to care for relationships that require our presence. The article invites discernment rather than an unthinking response to technology. We can ask whether a tool helps us serve our neighbors and whether it takes the place of attention we owe another person. Which use of technology could you reconsider so that it better supports a relationship or responsibility God has placed in your care?
This article was originally posted on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) blog. Used by permission. erlc.com
Original article: When creation creates technology.
RaShan Frost
RaShan Frost serves as director of research and senior fellow at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, focusing on human dignity. He is teaching pastor of Centerpoint Church in North Charleston, South Carolina, and an adjunct professor of Christian studies at Charleston Southern University. He earned his Ph.D. in theology, with a concentration in public theology, at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife have two sons.
