The new technology belief movement: How AI could change our world!

The new technology belief movement: How AI could change our world!

In today's world, when the world is considered “exhausted” and many people have lost touch with traditional belief systems, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly coming into focus. In his upcoming lecture at the Severin Academy of the Catholic Academic Association of the Diocese of Linz, sociologist Stefan Selke emphasizes that AI represents an almost religious promise. In response to the increasing need for comfort and hope, technology is often seen as a replacement for faith. Selke, Professor of “Social Change” at the University of Furtwangen, explains that the attractiveness of AI lies in its inscrutability, which mystifies it with divine qualities, such as kathpress reported.

Despite AI's impressive capabilities, Paul Grünbacher, chairman of the Severin Academy, warns that this technology cannot replace human relationships. Emotional depth and genuine connections are still essential, and AI remains a tool without compassion. However, the church must respond to technological developments to remain relevant. This could be done by supporting the development of ethical guidelines to ensure that AI serves the common good and preserves human dignity.

The role of the church in a digitalized world

The lecture entitled "Technology as consolation. Promises of artificial intelligence in the context of future narratives" will take place on January 8th at the Catholic Private University in Linz. Digitalization could even strengthen the church's message by emphasizing values ​​such as empathy and spirituality in a technology-dominated world. This view of technology as a cultural experience is also reflected in the publication Lehmanns discussed, which illuminates the ambivalent relationship between people and technology.