New Survey Finds People Believe ‘God Can Work Through AI’
By Movieguide® Contributor
As AI’s influence continues to grow, Christian leaders are exploring ways to use it in the church.
Ashley Ekmay, the lead researcher for Gloo and the Barna Group’s recent AI survey, said, “One of the questions we asked is, ‘Do you think God can work through AI?’ And we found a really large number of pastors who say, ‘God CAN work through AI.’”
According to the study, “19% of church leaders say they use AI on a daily or weekly basis,” while “27% of leaders are somewhat to very positive or excited when it comes to using AI in their church.”
The survey also found that, while many church leaders are comfortable using AI for things like graphic design or marketing, “pastors are far more cautious when using AI for theological tasks.”
“Only one in 10 pastors (12%) are comfortable using AI to write sermons,” Barna wrote. “Though two in five (43%) see its merits in sermon preparation and research.”
Ekmay and the other researchers hope their survey starts conversations about how AI can potentially be used in the church.
“There is nothing new under the Sun, Ecclesiastes would say, and God is not surprised by AI,” said Gloo’s Chief Solutions Officer Brad Hill.
Gloo is currently investing around $25 million in an effort to integrate AI into the church.
“We’ve really been trying to invite pastors into a conversation that they may or sometimes may not want to have because it’s understandable to the untrained eye that AI just feels like technology, and this is one more thing to learn,” Hill explained. “Pastors routinely tell us that they feel sometimes like they have to become experts on everything to everyone.”
Movieguide® previously reported on people’s opinions on AI use in the church:
A new report has found Christians are overwhelmingly skeptical about AI and its potential uses in the church.
“When asked how to express their level of agreement with the statement: ‘AI is good for the Christian Church,’ just one in five Christians agree,” Barna’s study stated, adding, “Most Christians…seeing AI and the Church at large as something that should not intersect.”
Twenty-six percent of Christians surveyed said they “agree strongly” with the statement that they would be “disappointed” if their church started using AI.
However, some believe AI can have a positive impact on churches.
“We believe it is a moral imperative to responsibly use technology to advance human flourishing. AI is a powerful technology that should better enable, not replace, relationships,” Scott Beck, founder and CEO of Gloo, said.
Pastor Eric Parks, who signed up for Gloo’s “AI & the Church” initiative,” explained, “I believe that God created us to thrive. If you look at what Jesus promises, life with Him — that there is a fullness in Him. And so can AI create that? No. Not according to my theology. That comes from a relationship with Christ. Can AI put tools in front of me and in people that I love that may help move us toward flourishing? Yeah.”
