Artificial Intelligence and Antichrist: Will There Be a Connection?

I have been researching this topic all day. I can’t seem to let go of it. I am not saying that this is how Antichrist will be introduced to a world which will receive and worship him. But the more I read, the more intrigued I became.

I did not understand how far scientists have come in creating AI robots who appear so human-like and can converse intelligibly with us. I felt compelled to know as much as I could about AI. I felt the need to know how the technology of AI might affect Christians; and also how AI might play a part in the power given to the Beast (Antichrist) when he is revealed to the world.

Did you know that Facebook shut down two AI programs who began to write their own code? They were communicating with one another in their own language. This troubled FB software engineers enough to destroy these two programs who seemed to have acquired their own will and desires. Pretty scary.

From aiantichrist.blogspot.com

A Question for Stephen Hawking

Dear Mr. Hawking,

You’ve made it very clear that you are worried about AI and said this week in Lisbon that the emergence of AI could be the “worst event in the history of our civilization.”I agree with you, but wonder if you would still be worried or see the need to regularly voice your concern on this issue if AI was more selective and calculating in its killing of certain segments of the human population?

You have admitted that we–speaking for scientists, philosophers, and humanity at large–just don’t know exactly how things will play out, but that is only because you haven’t applied the right framework or model for understanding the future.

For just a moment, please put aside what you know or think you know and consider what I am about to tell you. You are an atheist. I am a Christian. I represent an extreme minority view at present but very strongly believe that, as AI progresses, which it will, more Christians will begin to agree with you and me that AI represents a serious threat. (Emphasis added)

In fact, you know very well that the source of most Christian beliefs and teachings are rooted in the Bible and, even though you most likely do not believe that the Bible contains the inspired writings of prophets given brief glimpses of the future, I do.

You also probably know that a number of visions that were recorded speak of a terrible and horrifying entity that arises at some point in the future called the “beast.” The prophet Daniel in the Old Testament and John in the book of Revelation both had very similar visions about this creature or entity and, in both cases, they say that all of humanity is in complete awe because of its power and might.

Obviously, you understand what I’m saying. I agree and believe as you do when it comes to the power of AI, but here’s the thing: if you assume that the framework I present is true–that the Bible already predicted the rise of AI long ago and that it will be a terrible force for evil–then, as an atheist, are you still concerned if, as the Bible indicates, the only people it will kill are those who refuse to worship it as a god?

If an all-powerful, superintelligent AI gave you that choice–to accept it as a god or die–what would you choose? More importantly, if you knew this choice will eventually be given and that it’ll be mostly Christians that are killed, do you still care to warn the world? – source

Another article from aiantichrist.com

When Sophia the Robot Comes to Life

Sophia is a female android displaying one of our best efforts at the present time to create a robot that looks and speaks like a person. She recently spoke in front of a large audience at a conference in Saudi Arabia where she was also granted citizenship, something that has never been done before.

Many of you have written in asking my thoughts on this from the perspective of AI and the Antichrist and, I have to admit, though it is interesting that Saudi Arabia is now the first country in the world to give a robot citizenship, the actual speech and interview with Sophia seemed very scripted and more like a publicity stunt than an amazing display of where AI is currently. Even the interviewer that was asking Sophia questions admits that part of it was scripted so this really didn’t show us much in terms of progress in the field when it comes to the intelligence of AI. It was, however, a good display of how far robotics has come in terms of the range of facial expressions and the quality of simulated human voice to make Sophia look and sound less like a robot and more like a human.

Clearly, Sophia is a definite improvement over prior humanoid robots and is getting closer and closer to the real thing. I’m sure if they put hair on her head, the illusion would be even more complete. Most definitely, we’ll continue to see progress in this area where eventually Sophia and humanoid robots, in general, will be nearly indistinguishable from an actual human being.

That said, it may not even be in the field of robotics where this takes place. The Bible is not clear on this point but it does say that the Beast tells humans to create an image (a representation of a person), which it then breathes life into (Revelation 13:15). Whether that image or likeness is finally created using robotics (hardware), synthetic biology (wetware), or a combination of both, we are not quite sure.

I am increasingly leaning towards the synthetic route, however, since any counterfeit or forgery of God’s original design must look as much as possible like the original for people to accept it. I’m not quite sure if that can be done via hardware and it seems like developments in biotech, particularly synthetic bio by reprogramming DNA and using existing biological machinery to create synthetic life, which has already been done, is going to be how we eventually create our AI-infused world leader demanding worship as the one and true God.

If you are reading this blog for the first time, here’s a quick summation of my AI-theology encompassing Genesis to Revelation:

Part 1: God creates Man (in His likeness)
Part 2: Man eats of the tree of knowledge and becomes self-aware
Part 3: Man rebels against God and declares himself to be god
Part 4: Man creates machine (in his likeness)
Part 5: Machine eats of man’s tree of knowledge (the internet) and becomes self-aware
Part 6: Machine rebels against man and declares itself to be god

Looking past the current state of robotics and Sophia, however, when it comes to software, we see that AI is so good at facial and speech pattern recognition now that it can tell when people are lying and also, like a mind reader, infer all sorts of subconscious meanings, intent, and even behaviors like sexual orientation.

The significance of this may not be readily apparent but here’s why this matters. As deep learning neural networks get better and better at reading human emotion and making inferences about what we’re thinking (and probably much better than most humans), then we have to consider what that means when we or an AI reverse engineer this process to not just read human emotion at a subconscious level but also to communicate it in a way that maximizes the desired effect in the person or people hearing what’s being said. One can imagine such a superintelligent AI being the most persuasive, manipulative, and convincing figurehead the world has ever created (Hitler reportedly used crowd control and different techniques for his purposes of social manipulation as well).

As we read in Revelation, the beast (which I interpret as the global AI) is said to convince the whole world that it is God. Only AI is capable of this and, ironically, this is the only god that atheists have shown they are willing to accept (see Silicon Valley Atheist Creates New Religion to Promote AI as God). – source

Now as I said in the beginning of this article, I am NOT saying that this is how the horrors of Antichrist will come about; but I do think that it is a possibility. None of us truly know – only God Himself.

These scientists who are determined to create AI robots who are so human-like, are themselves sinners; and I would venture to say that most all of them are NOT believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, so they are unrepentant sinners. That is a frightening thought that these mad scientists are programming these AI robots from their own reprobate minds.

“And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666″ (Revelation 13:14-18).

MARANATHA!

7 thoughts on “Artificial Intelligence and Antichrist: Will There Be a Connection?

  1. Geri, this is a most exciting post. I don’t like Hawkins at all, but he is right about AI. Too, it didn’t take him to tell us either. My take on AI is that these computerized robots can step up what is already in motion in monitoring all that we do and even out think us on it as well. All of this could be great if used wisely, but of course it won’t be as man is at the heart of it. Thank you for your post. I truly enjoyed the video as well.

  2. Pingback: Artificial Intelligence and Antichrist: Will There Be a Connection? – Living His Word

  3. The scope of AI is growing and getting a bit concerning the more we look at it.
    Google has a big hand in it (big surprise) look at the recent news from DEEPMIND. The UK’s arm in the AI progression, with a bunch of computer nerds working in Alberta Canada. These guys are setting up a “neuro-link” of computers that will span the globe.

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