Editor's Note

Todd Goodwin

I BELIEVE...

the written word is slowing being replaced by AI generated content. I don’t know whether AI will take over or not, but I do know that we can still bring hope and life to a world in desperate need of it. The world needs more than information it needs transformation.

I was reading an online article the other day about how AI is creating new job opportunities for the growing younger workforce. One of these new jobs was a “Prompt Engineer”. Basically, someone skilled in knowing how to write a prompt for AI so that AI can create whatever that engineer or boss needs. Whether that be an article for the office newsletter or an AI generated picture for some ad they are creating. I thought it was strange language since I had never heard of a “prompt engineer”.

I am not writing against or for AI. I simply found the language odd. It also sparked a new interest in the written word. I am sure the people who used to hand write manuscripts thought the printing press was evil and would take away their jobs and the written word would lose its influence and power in our world. Well, it did not. And I do not think that AI will rob humans of creativity or will it take away our humanness and personal touch. But I do know that we as humans are more than a CPU (central processing unit) and a metal frame full of wires, motherboards, and semiconductors.

We are creations of God, and we were created in His image and because of that we have value and honor. Something that AI does not have, nor can it assign value or honor to humans. AI has its advantages and merit. AI has certainly sped up people’s jobs. We get more done in a short period of time. AI can automate and quickly perform mundane and boring task. AI can help with creativity by, making suggestions that come from countless online sources in just a few seconds. But it is still not human.

Yes, AI will make things faster so we will not have to wait for the information or task that we want done. But is that not part of being human? There is something to be said for waiting. I have always been a hurry-up-and-get-things-done kind of guy. I wanted everything, everywhere, all at once. Just like the movie. I don’t recommend the movie. It’s weird and that’s saying a lot, since my wife says I watch some weird stuff. Either way, I think we need to slow down and wait for a while. My wife has helped me learn to enjoy the journey. To stop and smell the roses. It is okay to wait. Somebody once said that “those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.” And yes, we all need strength in our fast paced and crazy world. Just like my parents did, and my grandparents did, and their parents did. Hmm! Guess I’m going to learn how to wait.