Theologian Vinay Samuel Examines Human Dignity and AI in Recent Webinar

In a recent webinar titled 'AI, Human Dignity and the Future of the Church,' hosted by the Evangelical Fellowship of India, theologian Canon Dr. Vinay Samuel presented a paper exploring the intersection of technology and biblical theology. Drawing on the Genesis account, Samuel argued that humans were created in God’s image to serve as regents and co-creators. He cautioned that while tool-making is part of God’s design, modern artificial intelligence risks reversing this order, potentially ruling over the people it was intended to serve.

Samuel asserted that AI remains an information-processing machine incapable of achieving human consciousness. He warned that the development of such technology reflects an ancient human desire to 'play God,' linking instances of AI operating outside its programmed parameters to the biblical narrative of human disobedience. During the event, Rev. Vijayesh Lal emphasized that the church must not view AI as a neutral instrument, urging believers to critically evaluate the ethical implications of these tools. Samuel encouraged the audience to maintain intellectual discipline, noting his own commitment to traditional methods of reading and writing to preserve cognitive sharpness.