Artificial Intelligence In A Church Context
Posted in: What's the Buzz
March April 2026
Back in the 1990s while working for a professional haircare product manufacturer, we wrung our hands at the prospect of people being able to purchase our products on the then burgeoning internet. The products we made were meant to be exclusively available in professional beauty salons. In an attempt to stop salons from selling professional products on the internet, we had each sign an agreement indicating that they would not do so. I recall feeling like we were working to hold back a storm tide with popsicle sticks. Today, nearly every professional haircare product can be found on the internet, most of which is being sold by the product manufacturer.
The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) reminds me of this time. AI is impacting every aspect of business, culture, education, and even religion. Including ours. In an August 2025 BYU devotional, Elder Gerrit W. Gong shared some interesting thoughts about AI.
“Artificial intelligence is not God and cannot be God,” the Apostle said. “We can consciously choose and intentionally use AI as a tool for good [and] … we can invite leaders and citizens across industry, research, civic and government bodies, and faith leaders to align rapid AI developments and enduring faith-based principles and moral values.”
Elder Gong added, “artificial intelligence cannot replace revelation or generate truth from God. We have responsibility to ensure the Holy Ghost can attest to the truth and authenticity of all we say and share, in our form and in our content.”
He also mentioned concerns about the danger of using AI to bypass the work that brings spiritual growth. “As Church members we will not grow spiritually if we let artificial intelligence write our sacrament [meeting] talks or do our seminary homework. AI cannot replace our individual effort and spiritual preparation as we prepare lessons, prayers or blessings.”
AI is now available to write every bit of content found within these pages. I work with others who run many of their business decisions through Chat Gpt before acting. I know musicians who used to earn their living by writing music for business purposes that are now out of work because AI can write music for “free.” Even with this recent pervasiveness of AI, it had not occurred to me that a Sacrament meeting talk could be written using AI. I will share that I will walk out of any Church meeting that features speakers using AI to write their talks. Because “artificial intelligence is not God and cannot be God.”
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we have hard decisions to make in this world in commotion. By listening to leaders like Elder Gong, and to the Holy Ghost attesting to the truth, we can successfully navigate an existence that constantly throws deceit and visual lies in our faces.
Elder Gong added that “we are not afraid of AI, nor do we think it is the answer to every problem. As we work hard and smart, AI can be a valuable tool to enhance but not replace our own efforts.” I choose to “follow the Prophets” as I work to stem the storm tide of AI with popsicle sticks. But be assured – I will not employ any AI to write or edit any content for this magazine! Thank you for reading…
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