Issue #13
Does the promise of progress justify the harm it may cause?
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has argued that society should accept some negative consequences to gain AI’s benefits. It’s a tempting trade-off when AI can do in minutes what once took hours. But the benefits don’t remove our responsibility to prevent harm.
AI shapes not only what we can do, but how we think about progress, efficiency, and the costs we’re willing to accept. For Christ followers, the question is not only what AI can do, but how we use it responsibly, in ways that honor God and serve the people entrusted to us.
AI is a tool to steward, not an authority to serve, and “it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).
Over the past five weeks, we have explored how AI shapes us, tempts us beyond our calling, crowds out the space wisdom needs, tests our convictions, and influences our culture. These are not reasons to avoid AI, but to evaluate its use deliberately.
Here are five questions to help.
1. Formation: Who is AI shaping me to become?
AI can shape what we value, how we think, and where we turn for answers.
Ask yourself: Is AI helping me grow in wisdom or weakening my judgment? Is it deepening my dependence on God or replacing it with certainty from a screen?
2. Calling: Does this serve the work God has entrusted to us?
Just because we can pursue an opportunity doesn’t mean God has called us to it.
Ask yourself: Does this serve God’s purposes for our business or distract us from our responsibilities?
3. Wisdom: Have we given this decision the discernment it requires?
A convincing answer can still be incomplete, and the most likely outcome isn’t always the wisest. Some decisions need speed. Others need prayer, counsel, and time to reflect.
Ask yourself: What might we be missing? Whose perspective is absent? Have we challenged the assumptions? Have we sought God’s guidance and wise counsel? Are we letting AI’s speed dictate ours?
4. Conviction: What are we unwilling to compromise?
Efficiency does not determine what is right. We need to know our boundaries before pressure or the promise of growth makes compromise attractive.
Ask yourself: What principles must guide us, even when faithfulness costs us? Are we following Scripture and wise counsel, or protecting our preferences?
5. Stewardship: What kind of business are we building?
AI influences what we measure, reward, and value. Its benefits may be visible while its costs to people remain hidden.
Ask yourself: Who benefits, who bears the cost, and what behavior will this encourage? Do our practices reflect our values? Can people safely challenge the system?
So, how do we use this test?
Give each decision the care its impact deserves. For big decisions, involve those affected, question what AI recommends, and check the results over time. Stewardship is ongoing.
AI can expand our options, but it should not define our calling, determine our convictions, or remove our responsibility to others.
The question is not simply whether AI works for our business, but whether we are using it faithfully, in ways that honor God, reflect His values, and serve the people He has entrusted to us.
p.s. If one of these questions hits close to home, reply and tell me which one. I’m always glad to talk. And if it’s helpful, I can share how the Kingdom Factor Cohorts help Christian business leaders work through decisions like these together.
This is the final part of the Godly Leadership in the AI Age mini-series:
- Part 1: Beyond Human Leadership: Becoming Godly Leaders in the AI Age
- Part 2: The Work God Has Actually Given Us
- Part 3: What Joshua 9 Teaches Us About AI and Wisdom
- Part 4: Data Tells You What’s Likely. Who Tells You What’s Faithful?
- Part 5: Are You Building the Business You Actually Believe In?
- (This is Part 6)
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