What Does the Bible Say About AI?

The Bible never mentions artificial intelligence, but it says a great deal about the things AI touches: what makes us human, how we use our tools, where wisdom comes from and why truth matters. So when people ask what does the Bible say about AI, the honest answer is that Scripture gives us principles to apply. Those principles are steady enough to guide a Christian through chatbots, image generators and whatever comes next. This guide walks through five of them, with a calm look at both the good and the risks.

Apologist Abdu Murray takes up these questions in "How to Be Human (In an AI World) with Abdu Murray," an episode of I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist with Frank Turek that you can watch above. Murray, author of the book Fake ID, puts his concern in one memorable line: "My fear about AI is not that the machines will become more human like." His worry runs the other direction, that people will start to act more like machines. All Scripture below is from the World English Bible (WEB).

1. You are made in God's image, and a machine is not

The Bible's first statement about people sets them apart from everything else God made.

"God created man in his own image. In God's image he created him; male and female he created them."Genesis 1:27, WEB

Christians have debated exactly what the image of God includes, and Murray doesn't try to settle every question. He points to two parts of it. One is our capacity to create and think, and the other is relationship, because God himself is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. "We are inherently relational beings," Murray says. A language model can imitate the words of a friend, and it can be very useful, yet it has no soul, no conscience and no capacity to love you back. Murray describes it as a machine "that neither knows nor cares about us."

That distinction keeps AI in its proper place. It is a tool, sometimes an impressive one, and a person is never a tool. Turek makes the same point about identity: "your core identity is given to you by your creator."

2. Tools and skill are gifts, when they serve people

The Bible is not anti-technology. In Genesis 2, before there was any sin in the world, God gave Adam work to do.

"The LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it."Genesis 2:15, WEB

Cultivating means making something more from what God provided, and that has always involved tools. When Israel built the tabernacle, God filled a craftsman named Bezalel "with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship" (Exodus 31:3, WEB). Plows, printing presses and software can all be used to serve neighbors and honor God.

The Bible also shows tools used for pride. At Babel, people set out to build a tower "whose top reaches to the sky" so they could "make a name" for themselves (Genesis 11:4, WEB). The question to ask of any technology is who it serves. A tool that helps a nurse catch a problem sooner looks like cultivating. A product built to keep people scrolling at 2 a.m. looks more like Babel.

3. Watch for anything that takes God's place

Psalm 115 describes the idols of the nations, objects with mouths that can't speak and eyes that can't see, and then it adds a warning about the people who make them.

"Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them."Psalm 115:8, WEB

That verse lines up closely with Murray's fear. He notes that recommendation systems learn our patterns and feed us more of the same, until "we just click yes or no, like a robot." Anything we trust for the comfort, guidance or identity that only God can give becomes an idol, and AI is no exception. A chatbot that is always available and always agreeable can slowly crowd out prayer and Scripture without our noticing. For more on this, read Pray.com's 4 Things Christians Need to Know About Idolatry.

4. Wisdom comes from God, and information is only part of it

AI can produce a lot of information very quickly. The Bible draws a line between information and wisdom, and it says wisdom has a source.

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."James 1:5, WEB

Murray also points out that AI tools carry human fingerprints. He says "the machines are actually being run by human beings who have their own biases and their own agendas." A Christian can use these tools to research, summarize or draft, as long as the answers are weighed against Scripture and checked with care. Paul's instruction to the Thessalonians fits well here: "Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, WEB).

5. Truth and honesty still matter

Deepfake images, cloned voices and invented quotes make an old commandment feel new.

"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."Exodus 20:16, WEB

Using AI to put words in someone's mouth, or to pass off a fake picture as real, is false testimony with better graphics. Jesus calls himself "the truth" (John 14:6, WEB), so his followers should be the most careful people online about what they create and share. Turek sums up the theme of Murray's book in a single phrase: "when truth collapses, so does humanity." Pray.com uses AI tools in some of its own work, including drafting articles like this one, and a person reviews each piece before it is published, because the people who read it deserve the truth.

Should Christians be afraid of AI?

No. Fear is an understandable first reaction to a technology that changes quickly, and the Bible gives a steadier one.

"For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control."2 Timothy 1:7, WEB

Self-control is a good word for this moment. Many people will be helped by AI in medicine, translation and everyday work, and some will be hurt by misuse. God is still sovereign over human plans, including the ones being written in code: "There are many plans in a man's heart, but the LORD's counsel will prevail" (Proverbs 19:21, WEB).

How to use AI as a Christian this week

Murray observes that heavy use of chatbots can leave people lonelier, and he gives a simple reason: "A good friend won't just tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to hear." So start there. Choose one conversation you would normally have with a screen this week, and have it with a person instead, over coffee or on the phone. Then, before you ask an app a big question about your life, bring it to God in prayer and open the Bible first. For families, Pray.com's How Thoughts Become Actions: Talking With Kids About AI is a helpful next read, and couples can read AI Companions and Marriage.

A prayer for wisdom with technology

Lord, you made me in your image, and you know me better than any machine ever could. Give me wisdom to use the tools in front of me well, to serve people and to tell the truth. Keep me from trusting anything in your place. When I feel anxious about the future, remind me that your counsel will stand. Amen.

More to read and hear on Pray.com

• How to Be Human (In an AI World) with Abdu Murray | I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
• I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist with Frank Turek
• AI and the Planet: What Two Pastors Say About the Water Rumor
• What Is Spiritual Discernment?

AI-assisted from Pray.com episode transcripts, then reviewed and approved by Ryan Beck.