Jason Thacker's Blog, page 19

Artificial intelligence favors the powerful. But it doesn’t have to.

Millions of our global neighbors live under authoritarian and autocratic governments where the power of artificial intelligence (AI) is abused to retain a sense of control over others. Nations, such as China, use these tools, created for the common good, to diminish dignity in minority groups. Religious freedom and the pursuit of justice are threatened by the implementation of these tools each day.

This is why a group of over 60 evangelical leaders, including Russell Moore, Jackie Hill Perry,...

Why doomsurfing won’t satisfy our longing for peace

If we are honest with ourselves, the last few weeks (and likely many more to come) have been extremely difficult. Some of us have become sick or known loved ones who contracted COVID-19. Others have lost their jobs and livelihoods due to stay-at-home orders put in place to slow the spread of the virus. While many others have seen little day-to-day impact of the virus spread in their communities, they are still lost in the news and updates from the frontlines. Regardless of where you find...

Christians and the cancel culture: Resisting the allure of power and seeking the good of our neighbor

In June 2019, there was a Twitter backlash against the Black Hat security conference and its decision to confirm Rep. Will Hurd (R-Tx.) as a keynote speaker. Black Hat is a technology event series founded in 1997. Many within the national security and cybersecurity fields, along with many long-time attendees, voiced their disgust that Black Hat would choose to highlight Hurd given his pro-life convictions and voting record. Black Hat decided to rescind the invitation, bowing to public...

What does the Bible say about technology?

Technology is a tool that helps us live out our God-given callings. This is one of the most important things for us to learn as we engage the topic of technology and artificial intelligence. Because we often see the tremendous power that technology has over our lives, we are tempted to treat technology as more than a tool, as something with a value similar to our own if it is powerful enough or does enough work on its own. Technology will be misused and abused by broken people just like you...

How should we think about the virtual reality church?

A few weeks ago, heading to a church gathering could have been a bit overwhelming for some. Maybe you have young kids, and getting out the door is next to impossible. Or you might feel that you wouldnt be welcomed in a church community because of your lifestyle, beliefs, or doubts. But now, in efforts to help slow the spread of COVID-19, churches around the world are canceling all on-campus activities and moving exclusively to online meetings, whether that be through live streams, video...

Thinking Biblically About Privacy in a World Ruled by AI

We live in a world of irony. We are willing to post some of the most intimate details and events of our lives online. We gladly sign up for freemium services, like social media and email, that require us to consent to various forms of data tracking in exchange for a free premium service.  

We love how our devices just know us, as AI [artificial intelligence] empowers them to learn our habits and predict what we will want to see, taste, and even read. 

Yet we also feel uneasy and uncomfortable...

Should we really expect privacy in our digital age?

From the smart doorbells that guard our homes to the millions of images that we post on social media to our phones, which never leave our side, tracking us in real time, we live in a world, mostly of our own choosing, where privacy is becoming more passe. Real-time tracking on our phones helps us to know exactly where our spouse is at any given moment and trackers keep up with teenage children as they drive off for the first time on their own. It seems we are blissfully living inside of...

2 things to know about AI and the church

Probably one of the biggest questions I get when I talk about technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), is how to equip people in our churches to begin to think wisely about these innovations. 

Often when topics like AI, facial recognition, or privacy come up in conversation, many people react with glazed over eyes because these topics seem so far off and disconnected from our daily lives. They dont believe these are pressing issues and havent given much thought to them at all. If...

What’s the problem with political ads on social media?

What categorizes something as “political”? Answering this question has become an increasing problem for social media platforms as those who run them prepare for the upcoming election cycle and adjust to the new norm of their influential role in society. The benefits and drawbacks of political advertising are currently being debated by social media giants. The political ads run by political action committees and candidates themselves can influence public opinion like never before with the...

(Fake) Sex in a Technological Age

Author’s note:The topic and examples in this section are sexually explicit. I leave certain details vague and ask that you not search for these things online.

The world’s first sex robot debuted in fall 2018 to much fanfare. Many joined waiting lists to purchase this AI-equipped doll from Abyss Creations. The doll, named Harmony X, was one of the firstAI-empowered sex dollson the market.

Each doll has silicone bodies that are highly customizable with upgradable body parts and hyperrealistic...