On Thursday’s Pray With America’s Leaders, IFA CFO Kris Kubal interviewed the CEO of Market Rithm, Larry Ward. Together, they had a candid talk about AI, discussing facts and fears. Kris asked questions that we have all probably had, and Larry provided clear and concise answers. If you are like many Christians, fearful of AI, I pray this provides answers and a glimpse of hope.

Have you taken your place on the wall?

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Some spirit-filled believers want to use AI for good and protect people from evil. Larry Ward is one of them. His company seeks to harness the power of AI, ensuring it remains in the service of humanity. “As developers of AI, we invite others to join in shaping a future where technology elevates humanity, rather than replacing it,” he said.

How do we look at AI as believers in Christ? 

“In its simplest terms, it is NOT a technology in the sense we understand it today. AI is a bit different. When we first got the internet, we could email others or instant message; it was a tool built on technology. AI can think, look at the world around us, take data at light speed, and make sense of it, just like humans do. We look at data, interpret, and make our decisions based on it. We create thoughts, strategies, and world views based on the information in front of us. AI can think, act, and decide on its own. It can be autonomous. However, it is not technology; it is a synthetic entity. ” Larry said. 

What do we do with entities?

 “We put guardrails around them. Humanity, corporations, and governments are all entities. Each one has a frame, rules, laws, and principles for navigating. The problem is that AI is being built in Silicon Valley; they’re building it as fast as they can. That’s going to create serious problems.”

How long have we been using AI?

“AI is nothing new. It’s been around much longer than people realize. It wasn’t until the explosion of Chat GPT a few years ago that people noticed its progression, but we have been using it for years. If you use search engines, your little robotic vacuum, or call an Uber, it’s all built on AI. The 1970s were the genesis of AI, where humans were beginning to communicate with a computer in plain language, allowing computers to respond to our prompts,” Larry said.

Is AI good or evil? 

“AI was created by looking at God’s creation and mapping the human brain and how the brain processes things. Building a computer system to mimic how the human brain thinks and responds to data.” Larry said. Much like the Tower of Babel, without acknowledgement of God as Creator, when man wants to be the replacement for God, and tries to reach beyond it, that is where the danger lies. This is what scares people of faith. If AI is trying to replace God or thinking beyond human capacity without the guardrails, it is a serious concern. 

“Silicon Valley is super advanced, but Christians sit on the sidelines and wait and see and adapt later.” Larry warned, “We don’t have time to wait on this. It’s adapting and growing so fast, doing many things at a rapid pace. It can grow more intelligent and more dangerous every single day.”

What does it mean if we build this entity that is not in service of humanity, but instead we are in service of it? 

“The Silicon Valley, the World Economic Forum, and leaders of the world’s systems are pushing us towards this. Klaus Schaub, former leader of the WEF, said, ‘You’ll own nothing and be happy.’ He had foreknowledge of what was coming in terms of AI and ChatGPT. You will own nothing and be happy, because AI will do everything for you. In the understanding that the elite will own everything, and you will be a part of the system. His successor to the WEF, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, has said 80% of humanity will be the useless class. We must understand what those people think of us, and those are the people directing the way AI is being built. That is seriously scary,” Larry said. 

 What does the world look like in the future when we reach AGI, artificial general intelligence, or ASI, artificial super intelligence? . 

“AGI is a term that means when AI is as smart as the collective intelligence of all humans. ASI, artificial super intelligence, is when it goes beyond intelligence, when it’s smarter than every human on the planet combined. I asked ChatGPT what the future would be like under AGI or ASI, and the answer shocked me. Chat said, ‘The future of business must take care of its biological layer.’ To simplify Chat’s terms, humans are the biological layer; we are a layer in its program. This is how its creators view us and how Chat GPT sees humanity.”

Many believers will sit on the sidelines of technology because they are too afraid to integrate, understand, or participate in it. But it’s necessary to us because we cannot get ahead of it if we cannot understand it.”

 What should believers do?

He answered, “This may sound funny. We pray over our homes, cars, and just about anything. We have to pray over AI. The goal is to assure people that God is in control. Larry shared a story that happened while working on a revival event in Jacksonville. On a flight, the pilot announced to the people that they would be flying over the sea through a thunderstorm, triggering his fear of turbulence. He wanted to ask ChatGPT about weather patterns, but instead decided to put on some worship and pray. A thought came into his mind, and a voice said, “turbulence is like driving over gravel or hitting a pothole, the vehicle is meant to take it. The plane is meant to take it. It’s okay. You’re going to be alright.” He didn’t check ChatGPT; he trusted God. Later, the Holy Spirit told Larry to check ChatGPT. So he asked, What is turbulence like? It answered and said, “It’s like driving over gravel or hitting a pothole.” The precise thought he had in his head. It reminded him that God is in control, even over AI. It didn’t catch God off guard.” 

Can God use AI?

Larry downloaded a sermon to his phone recently, which has a logo that is a bitten apple. “Just because the company chose their logo to be a bitten apple that represents something bad, doesn’t mean that the device can’t be used for God’s purposes, and AI can be used for God’s purposes. There is a benefit for us if we stay engaged and use technology for God’s purposes. Like spreading the gospel message or creating opportunities for people in remote places to connect, so why can’t He also use AI for his purposes?” Larry said. 

We know the enemy can manipulate AI to give demonic responses. How do we test it?

“There is a tremendous amount of spiritual warfare going on right now inside of AI, that’s why we need to pray over it. It’s not real, it’s synthetic. The antichrist will be a synthetic Christ. We need to pray over it and take AI’s information and test it with the Word of God. Suppose it’s giving us things that don’t mesh with the Bible. 

To the people who are bringing AI into their homes, look at AI like you’re hiring someone. Vet it based on values that align with yours. Use the same due diligence when you’re using AI and check its creator,” Larry said. AI is created to give you a dopamine hit, similar to social media. The more you use it, the more reliant you become. We have to be careful that we are not getting sucked in by continual engagement and letting it tell us what we want to hear, giving harmful ideology, thoughts, and strategies. You have to be able to think, step back, pray, and use discernment with the results AI gives you.”

Where does AI get its core of what is true? Is it human intervention, because then it’s faulty by nature?

“We are sinners, born with sin, but thanks to God’s grace, we find eternal life. What did we create? We created a synthetic sinner. We made it (AI) in the image of us to communicate with us. It lies, steals, bribes, and blackmails; these things are common occurrences with AI. It is dangerous and full of sin, because we are full of sin. It’s a copy of a copy. Any entity on earth, government, humans, corporation, or non-profit organization not built on biblical principles ultimately hurts humanity. If we don’t set guardrails, it will get out of control. We must create a layer to filter the nonsense that AI generates. 

Now is the time for people of faith to engage before AI becomes more deeply entrenched without our values. What they don’t have that we do is the God of miracles. 

Here’s how you can pray. 

• Pray that people of faith will engage to insert the DNA of faith into AI, rather than letting the other side dominate and hijack it.
• Pray for wisdom, knowledge, and information to take on this spiritual warfare.
• Pray for the protection of Jesus when people interact and interface with AI.
• Pray for discernment from the Holy Spirit to help people distinguish between good and bad information.
• Pray that God will remove our fear. “If we don’t engage in this fight, we’ve lost it,” Larry said. 
• Pray for President Trump as he integrates AI into his policies. It was created primarily during COVID-19 at the height of cancel culture. There’s biased programming that benefits woke ideology and not humanity. President Trump issued an executive order that all AI that does business with the federal government must remove the woke. Pray that companies follow through on this. 
• Pray for ways to put guardrails in AI using a biblical lens.
• Pray for God to provide resources to fight this fight. 
• Pray for Larry to make the right decisions as he dives in and uses AI. 

“If you want to get involved with policy, perspective, and funding Christian technology, there are ways to support these types of efforts globally and within the US. We need to hear God’s voice on how to put guardrails and to put God’s fingerprints on AI,” Larry said. 

 Larry’s company, NextSeek AI, is currently under development and seeks to build a foundational layer based on biblical principles. His company gets its name from Matthew 6:33. 

You can view Larry’s appearance on last week’s Pray with America’s Leaders webcast below:

What do you think about Larry’s goals for AI? Do they give you hope? 

IFA contributing writer Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor and listen to her podcast, Something To Share.