our AI Moment

This unique moment in history will require 4 postures of every leader. Explore them in this article.

Once we are positioned to respond to God, there are two discussions we need to be having with family, friends and coworkers about AI. Explore them in this article. 

My thoughts turn to a God-follower who was faced with an unrivaled and unpredictable power. Daniel was brought to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzer after the defeat of Judah and the beginning of the exile. His life is one of the most instructive corollaries to what we are going through today that I have found. 

There are times when change is a slow and the world has time to think. Other times, like the one we are living in now, bring frantic change that moves at a dizzying pace. In these days, words like progress and innovation are part of everyone's lexicon. 

I don't know about you, but I'm done listening to the phrase, "Garbage in, garbage out," in discussions about artificial intelligence (AI). It comes up all the time. Why? Simple, the promise of AI is completely tied to the quality and quantity of your data. And we have to be honest with ourselves. In the nonprofit world we have some significant data challenges.

There isn't a person in your church that doesn't need to spend some time thinking about the ways that their faith will influence how they use AI. But most people in our churches don't get that opportunity. Explore the event we did, download the materials, schedule and listen to the audio.

The way we do discipleship matters to God. As we look into a future where AI tools will provide support to our discipleship efforts, understanding the way of Jesus will help us to implement these new tools that align with God’s ways rather than the ways the world would suggest.

I  live in an ancient woods. You wouldn't know it if you visited me today. Southern Wisconsin is now mostly farms and towns, but remnants of those great woods remain at the edges of progress. 

And on these edges you get a front seat at watching how trees coexist with technology. Like the picture above that I took on my walk this morning, there are thousands of instances of where trees and tools meet. 

I recently attended the BOI (Board of Innovation) Autonomous Innovation Conference. It was a rich and insightful look into how AI is transforming the innovation landscape and providing new tools and approaches to disciplined innovation. Take some time to read my 5 insights for nonprofit leaders. 

There are many books on AI and a growing number that make applications to faith and Christian living. But few give you the wide angle lens. If you are looking for a book that makes AI understandable and then goes on to apply it to everyone from marketplace leaders, nonprofit professionals, and ministry practitioners, this is where you should start. The bibliography in AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep has over 400 resources is worth the price of admission all on its own! 

I've noticed a strange thing happening as I work alongside AI tools. I am feeling two very different emotions at the same time and struggling to harmonize them. On one hand I see the immediate benefits of using the AI tools now at my disposal and feel a growing FoMO (Fear of Mission Out) that I might fall behind if I do not master every new wave of capabilities that AI brings to my work. 

A jerk is someone who doesn’t say “please” or “thank you.” And who wants to be a jerk, right? You add the obligatory niceties to your requests and responses, but do you really mean it? Sometimes you don’t even stop to ask that question. At times your words are sincere and at other times you are simply going through the motions. But what kind of world would we live in if we decided to give up on basic courtesy? We might be about to find out!

Recently Jon Hirst spoke at the Digital Media Conference, a pre-event to the National Religious Broadcasters, about Obedience in this AI Moment. View the slides here. 

Join Ted Esler, Jon Hirst, and Mark Tabladillo for a discussion on the ways that artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT affect the global Great Commission. There are dangers, challenges, and opportunities to uncover in this fast changing technology.

If you only have 15 minutes, this podcast interview will give you a summary of AI and its impact on ministry.

Artificial Intelligence has already dramatically begun disrupting the publishing industry. Just like when the Internet was introduced, publishers can thrive even in the midst of significant disruption by understanding the challenges and taking advantage of the opportunities that a major technological shift brings. Come hear from experts who can speak to what is already happening, what is coming and receive encouragement from others who are walking the same path of exploration and innovation. 

Jon Hirst sits down with the founder of Best Christian Workplaces to talk about building a culture of innovation and helping a workforce adapt to AI.

Jon Hirst sits down with Kenny Jahng from Exponential AI Next to talk about how churches can respond to the advances in AI technology. Everything from adoption as a church to training and education for congregations.

Jon Hirst shares with the Community of Mission Information Workers Virtual Summit about the ways AI will change the work of a global information worker and researcher and how to utilize AI well. 

Doug Fountain, President of CCIH, leads a panel discussion on the impact of AI on health care outreach globally.