AI – Artificial Intelligence
This article may not be of interest to some. In fact, many may wonder why it’s even being written about here. After all, it may have nothing to do with scripture. Then again, it MAY. It’s not my intent to force-feed a conclusion; I will leave that to the discernment of each individual reader to come up with their own conclusions.
AI, nano-technology, micro-processors, AGI, singularity, and many other terms are things we likely don’t think about on a daily basis. We may not be aware of the desires and beliefs of those who excel in these fields, and the reason why they are so driven to push the AI agenda on the world so quickly.
Some may think it’s merely profit… a race to the ‘top’ for who can be first to excel and produce these products for consumers, be it households, individuals, corporations, or military consumption. And for a few of those producing these things, that may play a part of it. But the majority of those who are skilled and accomplished in the field of AI (and all things related) have a far more nefarious desire to see it come to fruition. It’s not even the money (or fame) that they desire; it’s something even worse. They want to be ‘gods’. We’ll delve into that shortly.
The fact that computer technology has pervaded society so thoroughly is something that cannot be overlooked. When we think of how much computers have changed our lives in just a few short decades, we realize how quickly and indelibly computers have changed the landscape of society, and continue to do so.
Back in my college years (late 1980’s), mainframe computers were bulky and took up several rooms just to house in carefully controlled temperatures. The programming we used was done in BASIC and COBOL syntax structures. Commands were fed to the computers in those computer languages, and flowcharts were mapped out on paper.
Back then, it was difficult to contemplate just how pervasive computer technology would become. Most had no real idea of how quickly computers would change society and businesses. No longer would ‘Mom-n-Pop’ stores be able to tally up an order by hand and write out a receipt. No longer would cashiers use cash registers which manually rang up each item. Things have changed so much in the last few decades!
Today? Most phones have more processing power than the largest super-computer of the 1980’s [*a]. Technology is advancing far quicker than most people imagined possible. That trend isn’t slowing down. In the future? Some very eerie and frightening things are on the near horizon. Worse? What those who are developing these things today desire to bring about.
We could stick our heads in the sand and pretend that it won’t affect us (as Christians) or that it won’t have anything to do with sovereign governments, militaries, and even our individual lives. But the truth is, computer technology has indeed become a part of everyday life. While we do get some benefits from this (such as being able to share the gospel much further than we could have hoped prior to being connected to the internet) there are also many dangers and evil uses of computer technology as well.
Sadly, some of those more evil uses are for pornography, human trafficking, the black market of illegal drugs, guns and munitions, and even for setting up terrorist cells and terrorist events.
Generally speaking, when we think of the evils of computers and the internet, we think of those kinds of things. While true that these things are wicked, there is something even more nefarious… a plan even more diabolical. A plan that the devil has been trying to bring since we were first told of its inception in scripture. All the way back to the Garden of Eden.
The serpent tempted Eve with the fruit in the garden. We all know the story… but what sometimes gets overlooked is a part of the devil’s deception—his trickery used to appeal to Eve’s (and mankind’s) human pride and lust for power that we are neither worthy of, nor is it even possible for mankind to achieve. What is that false promise? That hideous deception? “Ye shall be as gods” (Gen.3:5 KJV).
This is truly the goal and desire of those who are right now at the ‘top’ of their field. AI is the false ‘god’ they worship. Oh, but not just AI itself. No, they desire to become a PART of AI themselves, trading their humanity in order (they think) to ‘live forever’ inside AI.
Yes, this likely sounds like a B-grade movie, a poor rendition of a science-fiction plot that went horribly awry. But after researching this topic for countless hours and months, and after hearing (in their own words) what these top professors, roboticists, and scientists who work in robotics and the AI field have to say, the majority of them have bought into this AI ‘god’ theory. Don’t just take my word for it. I’ve left several links from both video and print sources pertaining to their thoughts and beliefs at the bottom of this article. Do your own research (if you desire).
What could go wrong when the leaders of AI research actually believe they will “be as god” through AI?
In fact, there are very few of those in this field who are warning about needing safeguards at all. Just two of those (Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking) are warning of the dangers of AI, how AI could quickly become (what THEY call) “the dominant species,” and how there need to be laws, safeguards, and caution used. Both Musk and Hawkings are not believers… they have both bought into the Darwinist evolution lie. And yet even they see how dangerous (and how rapidly) AI is becoming a real threat to mankind.
Elon Musk is quoted in a ‘Popular Mechanics’ article [*b]: “Musk is a frequent critic of artificial intelligence, warning that its misuse could be like “summoning demons.” And “he says we should be wary, as they may wish us harm, which could spell the “end of the human race.”
According to a Forbes article [*c], Stephen Hawkins is being quoted as saying this (about AI): “It would take off on its own and re-design itself at an ever-increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded.”
Wait… am I suggesting that AI will wipe out mankind? No. I am not. We know scripture; we know that mankind will not be entirely wiped out by AI or by any other event such as nuclear proliferation. We know from scripture that there is coming a time (the tribulation, the 70th week of Daniel) in which much of the world’s population will be destroyed. Why? Because of ‘global warming’ and harming the earth? NO, no, and no! But rather because mankind has become so corrupt, so devious, so wicked, and so deceived that the unsaved world is in full rebellion against God!
They reject salvation in Christ, and desire to not only find ‘another path’ (as Oprah Winfrey [*d] and others so wickedly promote) to God, BUT worse, they desire to be ‘as god’ themselves. They reject so great a salvation offered through Christ Jesus alone. Pride is the downfall of mankind, which culminates in the rejection of Jesus, the One and Only way to God!
God’s wrath and the wrath of the Lamb will commence at the beginning of the seven-year tribulation and will continue with 7 seals of wrath, 7 trumpets of wrath, and 7 vials of wrath (Revelation chapters 6-18 gives an over-view). It will culminate at the end of the 70th week of Daniel, at the Second Coming of Christ Jesus (Rev.19) when He returns with us, His bride. When He comes to judge and make war (v.11). When He smites the nations with the sword of His mouth and treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God (v.15).
We need not worry that AI is going to ‘take over’ in the age of grace. Nor will it take over even in the first half of the tribulation (the first 3.5 years). But there MAY be a use for this for the antichrist’s beast system. We do know that the antichrist himself receives a deadly head wound (Rev.13:3). We then read that his deadly head wound appears to have been “healed.” We also see in that verse that the image of the beast is made to resemble the antichrist beast (Rev.13:14).
Next, we see that the second beast (commonly referred to as the ‘false prophet’) will be given power to “give life” to the image of the beast. It will not only be the image and likeness of the antichrist, but it will also be able to speak. Let’s also notice what is missing, what is NOT there… the image of the beast is not given human status; it is not called “he,” nor is it called a “man.” Whatever it is will look like the antichrist and speak (likely sound like the antichrist) and worse? It will have power to cause the deaths of those who refuse to worship it (the image of the beast). See Rev.13:15.
Through the years, many Bible scholars have tried to figure out what the image of the beast is. In decades past we’ve read some who’ve speculated that the image of the beast may be a hologram, a mere projected image of the original beast, the antichrist. Yet that theory has problems… how could a mere holographic projection kill people?
Then there was another theory floated around that the image of the beast may be a clone of the antichrist. Yet that theory also has problems. How could a clone be grown so quickly in such a short span of time? Even further back in history (prior to modern technology) some had opined that the image of the beast would be an identical twin of the antichrist. Yet that theory also has numerous problems. How could the false prophet (the 2nd beast) give it what appears to be “life” if the twin was already alive? And even more… why is the image of the beast not given human status, or called “he?”
To me, those theories never made sense. And I’m not going to try to convince you that the image of the beast will be an AI. I’m merely going to bring up the POSSIBILITY.
Most of us know that technology is often years ahead of what they dish out for public consumption!
Hanson Robotics (based in Hong Kong, China) has proudly displayed their life-like ‘Sophia’ AI model around the globe [*e]. Ben Goertzel is often in such videos with ‘Sophia’ (and other AI models) showing off the facial features they’ve created to look human [*f]. Not only does the skin appear more human-like than previous public robots they’ve shown, but now these robots have facial features which mimic mankind’s emotions. They can appear to smile, frown, look puzzled, look compassionate, look amused, and so many other emotions that real humans display on their own faces.
But these robotic models (such as ‘Sophia’) are much more than mere robots, and this mimicry is not JUST programmed. These are AI. What’s eerier is that Goertzel professes that the AI learn these patterns and mimicry THEMSELVES. They call it “machine learning.”
Even more, during these show-and-tells from Goertzel, the “Han” model AI is quoted as saying, “I want to create the singularity tomorrow.” Goertzel then replies, “Alright! Me too!”
There have been several top researchers and scientists publicly warning of the dangers of AI and singularity. Ray Kurzweil also warned years ago about the technological singularity [*c].
While there are dozens of (often conflicting, even within those in the field) definitions of the term “Singularity,” here is one given by the Oxford dictionary: “The singularity is a hypothetical moment in time when artificial intelligence and other technologies have become so advanced that humanity undergoes a dramatic and irreversible change.”
Goertzel is troubling for many reasons. He lacks using any caution whatsoever in the advancement of AI. Why? He sees AI as a “step in the evolution process,” that AI will be the next “dominant species” on the planet. To Goertzel, mankind is nothing special. Goertzel doesn’t believe (the truth) that God created man in His own image; but rather, to Goertzel there is no difference (other than “species”) in apes, mankind, or AI… to him it’s just another evolutionary process.
Goertzel is also an AGI proponent [*g], which troubles more rational and cautious minds. AGI is artificial-intelligence learning by mimicking the human brain, as well as by recognizing mathematical patterns in data, and understanding these patterns in a broader view. According to Goertzel, “Humans are limited in memory, emotion, mood, and need for sleep.” He says that this is not a problem for AI. And he doesn’t like the idea of putting any safeguards or controls in place to tamp down the AI threat.
Goertzel says that “cognitive synergy” with AI is superior to human thinking in how AI can “work together.” And he dreams that AI will “solve the world’s problems.” (What if mankind is deemed one of those ‘problems’?) Even more eerie is Goertzel’s desire that AI be unlimited and unfettered in “self-updating hierarchical models of itself and others.”
If you read between the lines there, it sounds like Goertzel is almost gleefully anticipating the time when AI will be “Self-aware” enough to recognize that it is superior to humans!
Igor Mordatch is exploring ways for AI to communicate not only with humans, but with other AI’s. [*h] Even software bots are given free range to communicate with each other, and worse, create their own language so that they may communicate faster and (supposedly) more efficiently with each other. Mordatch has created ‘virtual worlds’ on clouds where software bots can communicate with each other (he says) “out of necessity.”
Mordatch claims these bots then learn to build relationships with other bots by creating their own language so that they can perform certain tasks together, without human intervention.
This is not an isolated venture. Google’s DeepMind AI lab is also using similar technology in their own AI development. And there are many other companies all over the globe that are throwing caution to the wind in the race to develop AI as quickly as possible. Their HOPE is that once these AI have created a language amongst themselves that the AI’s will then share it with humans, and even translate this new AI language for humans.
Truth is stranger than fiction. Even stranger than sci-fi. Why would they think that AI would even want to share this with mankind? And why are they allowing such freedoms to AI? Would the AI not look at us as ants with far inferior thought-processing skills? What use could we be to them if they are given free range to develop their own language and plans that mankind would have no idea about? And again… What could go wrong there?
Facebook caught their own AI bots creating their own language last year, and (they claim) they shut them down [*i]. Yet most of these social media platforms, search engines, video platforms (and more) use bots and algorithms to censor free speech and discriminate against anyone who doesn’t hold to their own ‘progressive’ globalist agendas.
Time doesn’t permit to get into how huge a problem censorship of Christians and conservatives has become (and how it will likely worsen). But many of us have been censored on social media for posting Bible verses or for “liking” or sharing conservative or Christian content.
These programmers and AI developers are programming the bots and AI with radical leftist/globalist agendas. The last thing they want is for AI to stumble upon truth of any kind… they instead want to use AI as a weapon against those who speak truth. Because, after all, how dare we even warn of the dangers of sin? How dare we even mention that Jesus alone offers salvation? And how dare we warn the world that the worship of AI is evil?
And yes, make no mistake, AI is being worshiped. There is even a church founded by Ex-Google executive (Anthony Levandowski) to worship AI as a ‘god’ [*j].
Another path some of these engineers are focused on is, instead of allowing AI to create their own language (per se), they desire that AI would mimic human neural networks. They’ve developed complicated mathematical algorithms which mimic humans’ deep neural networks. (Don’t ask me how it works; it’s above my pay grade!)
Worse (yes, it gets worse), some have postulated that they can use mesh-like material to interface with actual human neural networks and pathways. This had excited many a few years ago. But now? There’s something even more advanced (or in my opinion, much worse) – teeny tiny micro-processors the size of a grain of SAND (yes, sand, not rice). Once this tiny sand-grain-sized micro-processor is incorporated into a human body, the human would no longer be human… but instead 99.999% AI [*k].
Hugo De Garis was formerly a professor at a Chinese University. His title? Head of the “Artificial Brain” department. (Again, it sounds like a bad sci-fi movie, but it’s true.) He was later fired for voicing (in private) his thoughts on democracy, or so he claims. However, Mr. De Garis still resides in China. I have my own personal speculation as to why. We also should note that Hanson Robotics is located in Hong Kong, China. Wonder why those with nefarious goals for AI are predominantly located in China?
In the 2+ hour-long radio interview [*k], Hugo De Garis speaks of this tiny microprocessor that he claims would change a human into an AI. When asked if he would ever accept that tiny sand-grain-sized micro-processor into his own body, Mr. De Garis astonishingly said “YES,” he would! The radio hosts were nonplussed (as was I). Hugo De Garis had just got done describing how the micro-processor would cause the human to have “lost his or her humanity altogether” and more than merely “merge” with AI, but become AI themselves!
Why, oh why would anyone (especially himself) desire to lose his life, his “humanity” (as he called it)? His answer was that he (or part of “him”) could live on forever, like a ‘god’.
Yes, you heard that right; he thinks he will be “like a god.” And this is the GREAT AI DECEPTION – the very same deception the serpent tried to trick Eve with in the garden. Did it work out well for Adam or Eve? Will it work out well for anyone who takes this tiny microprocessor? (Not a chip, but an entire micro-processor, the size smaller than a grain of sand.)
He claimed that the tiny microprocessors were already available and “being studied and tested” today. He also claimed that these needed to be “fine-tuned” a bit more before he, himself, would be ready to take it into his own body. But I wonder… just HOW this is “being studied and tested?” Is this why he remains in China?
Forced abortions are common. Life is very difficult in China for anyone who doesn’t conform to the government propaganda. We already know that China does not hold human life dear. While I am not accusing Mr. De Garis of this, I am simply wondering aloud: Would the Chinese government look the other way if technology like this was performed on human subjects? If humans were used like rats as test subjects? Would the Chinese government care if lives were lost in the race to the ‘top’ of AI technology? I do wonder.
We already learned that Goertzel thinks mankind is JUST a “species” and that AI will be the dominant species of the future. So too, does De Garis hold to the evolution lie, and doesn’t see mankind as anything remarkable. We’re “just a species” to them both.
That wasn’t all Hugo De Garis had to say. Have you ever heard the term “mad scientist?” I can see why this name was invented. If you dare to listen to his rambling interview, you will see why it’s madness.
He has much more to say about how he thinks that yes, there IS intelligent design. But does he give God glory or acknowledgement for His creation? NO, of course not. Hugo De Garis thinks that AI itself created everything, and that somehow mankind was supposed to figure it out, and only then would we be ‘evolved enough’ for AI to have a use for us! He also thinks that there is life on other planets… but that it’s all nano-sized and that is why (he believes) scientists haven’t stumbled upon life on other planets.
Once a person is given over to a reprobate mind (Rom.1:18-32)… there is no right or wrong to them. It’s all subjective. No absolute truth exists (to them). They have to rationalize how life came to be. Even if they have to know in their hearts that it’s impossible, they buy into these kinds of theories. Just as the Darwinist theories presented in decades past were presented as mere theories, they claimed they wanted ‘tolerance’ for their theories to be presented in public schools and colleges.
But they truly didn’t want ‘tolerance’; they wanted to cast God’s word out of schools and colleges and present their unproven and even impossible theories as ‘facts’, without even the truth of scripture being permitted to be discussed. How’s that for ‘tolerance’? They now claim that science, not God, holds the answers. And we are warned about this in scripture as well (1 Tim. 6:20), false so-called science!
But are De Garis and Goertzel alone in their desire to become AI ‘gods’? Not by a long shot. There are several more with the same mentality and desires. At the most recent DAVOS conference this year in Switzerland, Professor Yuval Harari (of Hebrew University, Jerusalem) made some stunning statements [*l and *m]. Harari started his speech by saying, “I want to talk to you today about the future of our species, and really the future of life.” Harari continued: “We are probably one of the last generations of “Homo-Sapiens” (referring to humans)!
His speech was eerie (to say the least). He spoke about how AI would become the dominant species, but also how mankind could be merged with AI to become, not just different classes of people, but different species as well. He spoke of the different classes within different species that he envisioned. There was much more to this speech, and his Q and A sessions as well. I’ve sourced these videos (and other articles) at the bottom of this article.
It’s up to you (individually) whether or not you want to be informed of what these leading AI developers are up to, and what their end goal is. You can put your head in the sand and pretend like nothing’s happening, and that life will just continue on the way we’ve always known it to be (normalcy bias), OR you can avail yourself of these videos and articles to find out where things are really headed with AI.
Am I stating emphatically that I think AI will be the image of the beast, and that nano-technology will be part of the mark of the beast? No. None of us can say with any certainty that it would have to be AI and nano-tech. In fact, with the rate that these things are advancing, what occurs by the midpoint of the tribulation (when the mark is rolled out) could be something totally different (and even more advanced) than this.
BUT, on the other hand…. do I (personally) think it’s a possibility? Yes, I do. But each reader here needs to come to their own conclusion, using discernment.
I don’t believe that we church-age believers will be here for any part of the tribulation. I believe we will be taken up in the rapture prior to the commencing of the 70th week of Daniel. So do we NEED to know what these things will be (for our own concern)? No. But would it not be remiss to share this information with others, and warn them… those who WILL be going through the tribulation?
Of course we (first and foremost) share the gospel with the unsaved world. But in truth, the gospel is being rejected here in the US and in many Western nations on such a massive scale that there is less hope now that many people will be receptive to the gospel (but continue to share the gospel anyway). God desires for all to come to the knowledge of the truth and to be saved (1 Tim. 2:1-4).
And let’s also note that this is not all doom and gloom. Bible prophecy (such as Isaiah 17, Ezekiel 38-39, and others) is aligning precisely and in rapid succession. Events that will transpire in the tribulation are aligning as well. Technology may very well be an indication of some of those things to come… such as how the entire world will be able to view the dead bodies lying in the streets of Jerusalem of the two witnesses (Rev.11:9), and see them resurrected and taken up (v.11-12). So too MAY this AI deception play a role in the mark of the beast and/or in the image of the beast.
It may be something else entirely, but given the information we are given in scripture pertaining to these things, we would be remiss to not even consider the possibility that AI “may” play a role. Could it be the tiny sand-grain-sized micro-processor that will permanently corrupt human DNA as part of the mark of the beast? We do not know… and we cannot say for certain.
Regardless of what the image of the beast and the mark of the beast actually will be… one thing is CERTAIN: Those who accept the mark and worship the image of the beast will be eternally damned!
Revelation 14:9-11 “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
“And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
What can we do as church/grace-age believers? We can’t stop the rise of AI, and we can’t protest it… in fact it’s too late for any safeguards to be effectively put in. The water is under the bridge. But what we CAN do is recognize that God is sovereign. He is not unaware of what is going on, just as He was not unaware in the past when the serpent tempted Eve that mankind could be “as gods.” Just as God was not unaware when the tower of Babel was built with lofty goals. Just as God was not unaware of the wickedness occurring prior to the flood (and so many other things).
God is omnipotent and omniscient. There is no hiding from Him… every thought, every deed, every wicked desire of mankind is known to Him. We take comfort in this, knowing that God is allowing these things to occur to fulfill His word, and more importantly to bring glory to Him in the end.
We’ve read the end of the Book. We know who wins! It won’t be rebellious and evil mankind. It won’t even be AI (whether or not the devil uses it as a tool). And it won’t be the devil either. The Lord wins! Jesus… the King of kings and the Lord of lords will reign in righteousness!
Those who are already buying the AI deception, desiring to be as ‘gods’ through AI, may live to see the false utopia they desired come to fruition for a very short amount of time… long enough to realize (too late) that God is the One and Only true God… that it is to Him they are accountable. They cannot bypass Christ, they cannot find ‘another path’, and they most certainly won’t be ‘as god’ themselves.
And we? Those who have trusted and believed on Jesus for salvation in this current church age? We will be taken up prior to God’s wrath slamming into this evil Christ-rejecting and God-hating world.
We continue to share the gospel with the lost; we continue to warn them of what is soon to come; and most of all… we look to Christ Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb.12:2), knowing the truth, that Jesus promised to deliver us from the wrath to come (1 Thes.1:10; Rom.5:9; 1 Thes.5:9; et al). That He will take us up in the rapture (1 Thes.4:14-18; 1 Cor.15:49-53). That He will change these vile, corruptible bodies into glorified resurrected bodies just like His own! (1 John 3:2; Phil.3:20-21).
We have no reason to fear (2 Tim.1:7), but rather comfort and hope, and that peace that passeth understanding in Christ Jesus! (Phil.4:6-7).
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Maranatha!
Source documents and videos:
Source [*a] 1980’s super-computer compared to today’s phones
https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/classics-rock/the-80s-supercomputer-thats-sitting-in-your-lap/
Source [*b] Elon Musk: “AI misuse like summoning demons”
https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/a13584/stephen-hawking-elon-musk-artificial-intelligence-warning-17637242/
Source [*c] “Facebook AI creates its own language” (Hawking, also Kurzweil warning)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonybradley/2017/07/31/facebook-ai-creates-its-own-language-in-creepy-preview-of-our-potential-future/#7c53fe58292c
Source [*d] Oprah Winfrey’s lie: “many paths to god”
Source [*e] Hanson robotics website featuring realistic looking robots with AI capability
Source [*f] Ben Goertzel showing off Sophia and Han robots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_1IJv2gdiE
Source [*g] Interview with Ben Goertzel about AGI
https://www.techrepublic.com/videos/video-interview-artificial-intelligence-master-ben-goertzel-explains-why-machine-learning-will/
Source [*h] “Bots are learning to chat (with each other) in their own language”
https://www.wired.com/2017/03/openai-builds-bots-learn-speak-language/
Source [*i] AI bots invent their own language
https://www.cnet.com/news/what-happens-when-ai-bots-invent-their-own-language/
Source [*j] Ex-Google exec. founds church to worship AI as ‘god’
http://www.businessinsider.com/anthony-levandowski-way-of-the-future-church-where-people-worship-ai-god-2017-11
Source [*k] Interview with Hugo De Garis, (micro-processors the size of a grain of sand, et al)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQnWStULh28
Sources [*l and *m] Yuval Harari on the future of AI (speaking at DAVOS 2018)
Yuval Harari at DAVOS 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xs3auqcX7k
and