How Does AI Work (and Why We Over-Trust It)?

The pace of improvement in artificial intelligence (AI) has been daunting, with forecasts of transformations—some utopian, others dystopian—touching nearly every aspect of life. We already see both sides: from social platforms that amplify polarisation to vehicle safety features like automatic emergency braking. This Master Class explains how AI works, what’s coming next, and how to use it wisely and effectively in ministry and daily life—guided by biblical principles of wisdom, stewardship, truth, and love of neighbour.

This is part 2 in a 5 part series on 'A Christian Guide to Understanding and Using AI Wisely'.

2. How Does AI Work (and Why We Over-Trust It)?

Here we demystify modern AI as advanced pattern-matching and next-token prediction. We explore the challenges posed by AI’s fluent language, which invites anthropomorphism, and how this increases the importance of discernment and safety.