Christians show optimism in using AI for a
growing set of ministry tasks
BOULDER,
Colo., July 9, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- New research data from Barna Group,
conducted in partnership with Gloo, the leading technology platform
dedicated to connecting the faith ecosystem and releasing its
collective might, revealed areas of approval — and disapproval — of
the appropriate uses of artificial intelligence. The study included
both U.S. Christian adults and general U.S. adult populations to
better understand cultural acceptance and use of AI.
Christians & AI - Key findings:
In response to "Which do you feel AI could do better, and which
do you feel a human could do better?":
- Most believe that spiritual counseling (86%) and mental health
counseling (84%) could be better done by humans.
- Two in three Christians (67%) feel that AI could perform
administrative tasks such as scheduling or planning as well as or
better than humans.
- Just over half (53%) believe AI could organize music set lists
as well as or better than humans.
- Half of Christians (50%) see AI as equal to or better than
humans in giving church budgeting advice.
- While 63% see humans as being the best at writing and
developing sermons, 32% see AI as being an equal or better
alternative.
"We know from our recent research findings that most people, not
just Christians, are navigating where and when to use AI in
alignment with their personal values. It's no surprise that most
Christian adults believe ministry tasks requiring a personal touch
should be done by humans," said Steele Billings, head of AI
at Gloo, "But what may be surprising to most ministry leaders
is that many Christians are optimistic about using AI beyond just
everyday administrative tasks."
U.S. Adults & AI - Key findings:
In response to how much U.S. adults personally approve of
AI-generated art being treated like man-made art:
- Fewer than half (44%) approve of AI-generated literature.
- Roughly two in five U.S. adults (43%) strongly disapprove of
AI-generated music using the voices of music artists.
- Nearly two in five (38%) also strongly disapprove of
AI-generated art imitating the style of a famous artist.
- Younger people embrace AI in creative fields, with 61% agreeing
that AI can contribute to art, music and storytelling, compared to
just 32% of Boomers.
"The research shows gradual but dynamic shifts in how
individuals engage with this technology from ethical considerations
to a desire for greater competency in its use," said
Ashley Ekmay, lead researcher at Barna. "As AI continues to
evolve, there are signs that people are increasingly grappling with
its implications."
Supporting its commitment to educate and equip ministry leaders
on AI, Gloo recently announced two prominent guests attending its
second annual AI & the Church Hackathon — Pat Gelsinger, Intel CEO and Bobby Gruenewald, CEO of YouVersion. The
hackathon is part of the Gloo AI & the Church Initiative,
designed to help the Church responsibly navigate and engage the
evolving landscape of AI.
The Gloo and Barna research partnership will continue to assess
and share the growing questions, trends and perspectives on faith
and AI throughout the year.
Gloo is the trusted platform that releases the
collective might of the faith ecosystem. As a leading technology
innovator, Gloo connects people, partners, world-class content,
funding opportunities and more to help ministries achieve their
goals and change more lives. Gloo has more than 70,000 churches
using its platform and connects as many as 1,000 new people to
churches each day. Gloo is based in Boulder, Colorado.
Barna Group is a visionary research and resource
company based in Dallas, Texas.
Started in 1984, the firm is widely considered to be a leading
research organization focused on the intersection of faith and
culture. Conducting more than two million interviews over the
course of thousands of studies, Barna has become a go-to source for
insights about faith and culture, leadership and vocation and
generations. Barna has worked with thousands of businesses,
nonprofit organizations and churches across the U.S. and around the
world. Barna is an independent, privately-held, nonpartisan
organization based in Dallas,
Texas, with offices in Nashville,
Tennessee, Ventura,
California, and Atlanta,
Georgia.
About this survey
This data is based on a survey of
1,072 U.S. adults and 656 U.S. Christian adults from May 21–31,
2024. The margin of error for the sample is +/- 3.1 percent at the
95 percent confidence level. For this survey, researchers used an
online panel for data collection and observed a quota random
sampling methodology. Quotas were set to obtain a minimum readable
sample by a variety of demographic factors and samples were
weighted by region, ethnicity, education, age and gender to reflect
natural presence in the American population.
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SOURCE Gloo