Living Virtuously with AI Chatbots

By Ruben Alarcon

If you’re looking for a paper that challenges the quick and often uncritical development of artificial intelligence (AI), I encourage you to read the latest Cambridge Paper “Living Virtuously with AI Chatbots” by Jeremy Peckham.  

In this thoughtful piece, Peckham shines a light on our growing dependence on AI tools and raises important questions about virtue, relationality and what it means to be human. He asks us to see technology not simply as a convenience, but as something that must be understood through a relational lens. 

There is no true safety net against the bias, malfunctions, or dehumanising responses of AI platforms. Many of these systems are designed to simulate human capabilities, and that alone should raise red flags. 

Humans and objects must remain distinct.  

As people created in the image of God, given life and purpose by Him, we are called to treat things as what they are: objects. It may sound obvious, yet the temptation to form emotional connections with AI tools is real and dangerous. We must not allow digital companions to replace real human relationships. 

Peckham calls us to develop good habits in an age of doomscrolling and growing isolation. This process can restore our attention and relationships. AI can serve as a useful support, but it must never become our guide, shaping our thoughts, biases, and interests, especially when we are called to imitate Christ. If we’re not careful, our humanity risks being lost between the keys of our computers. In this article, we are reminded why we must lean on one another, not just on technology. 

As Christians, our calling is deeply relational and personal. The overreliance on AI, combined with the epidemic of loneliness, is already shaping new antisocial behaviours, what some describe as the “Gen Z stare.” We learn how to be human by being with one another, not by our relationship with machines. 

Let’s also be aware of the fragile state of privacy and freedom, given the speed of technological development and the lack of transparent, ethical governance. For that reason, we must wrestle with new developments and question their implications as part of our Christian life. We are not called to reject technology, but to approach it with wisdom, ensuring it serves humanity. 

See more: https://www.jubilee-centre.org/webinars/ai-humanity-and-christian-ministry

The views and opinions expressed above are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the Jubilee Centre or its trustees.