Neural networks and creativity: How not to lose the image of God

Can AI replace humans in creativity? Photo: huxley.media

We are accustomed to thinking that creativity is a quality inherent to humans as bearers of the image of God. Yet today, with the development of artificial intelligence, neural networks can paint pictures, compose music, and generate all sorts of ideas. This raises the question: is there a risk that humans may lose their creative capacity if AI seems poised to replace them?

Not long ago, our ancestors did not understand electricity and were afraid of television. Today, some refuse to use the Internet. And now a new technological curiosity has appeared – neural networks. As with any invention, they have their advantages and disadvantages.

From a Christian ascetic perspective, the greatest problem, judging by experience, is that they foster laziness while creating an illusion of omnipotence, feeding the most dangerous passion of all – pride.

Take, for instance, a student who is assigned to write a paper. Instead of spending hours or even days in the library, engaging his creative thinking, he can simply ask a neural network to do it for him in minutes. If teachers fail to strictly monitor the learning process, this could lead to total degradation. In the past, one at least had to earn the money to buy a prewritten diploma; now it can be produced almost for free, without any effort. And the time saved will hardly be used for doing good – rather, it will likely be spent indulging in vice.

With such a careless approach to learning, there can no longer be any talk of creativity. A person becomes like a machine, whose program leaves no place for conscience, honesty, shame, or love. Thus comes depersonalization. People begin to look and act alike, human individuality is lost, and the image of God is disfigured and obscured.

Man tries to stand out through ever-changing fashions, but this is futile. Today one person puts on ripped jeans – tomorrow the whole city is wearing them. A person so easily swayed by trends cannot be relied upon; one cannot expect faithfulness from him. Such a person easily betrays and deceives, for in his heart, as in a robot, there is no program for courage, sacrifice, diligence, or humility.

No one today is completely protected from such influences, least of all children who have not yet matured in goodness. To flee into the forest or hide in a cave is no solution – not everyone could survive in such conditions. Therefore, we must seek protection within the very realities that surround us.

The first Christians used the innovations and traditions of the pagan world around them to preach the Gospel. Likewise, we too can use this new “technological demon” for good purposes. Let us recall Saint John of Novgorod, who, according to tradition, flew to Jerusalem on a demon. But to have such power – where the demon serves us and not the other way around – one must intensify prayer and fasting, and never neglect repentance.

Only in this way can we preserve ourselves as persons and become like God in love, mercy, patience, courage, humility, and other virtues.

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