Reflections on the soul and artificial intelligence
Does the soul make us unique?
We often use the figurative saying, “You have no soul,” to describe someone we perceive as lacking humanity. The soul is a concept deeply embedded in our everyday language, reflected in expressions like “the eyes are the window to the soul,” “to bare one’s soul,” “to pour one’s heart and soul into something,” “to sell one’s soul,” or “whatever is good for your soul…do that.” These phrases reveal how fundamental the idea of the soul is to how we understand and express human experience.
As we grapple with rapid advancements in technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), it has become increasingly essential to reflect on the soul and its profound connection to what makes us distinctly human. The soul and humanity are deeply intertwined, each incomplete without the other.
In her book Robotic Souls: Programming in Humanity, Eve Poole explores this intricate relationship, delving into humanity’s interaction with AI and what sets us apart amid groundbreaking technological progress. Poole acknowledges the challenge of defining our humanness, writing, “We have not often had to define our humanity.”[1] She examines theories surrounding concepts traditionally viewed as uniquely human—self-awareness, consciousness, and the soul. Poole poses a thought-provoking question concerning the soul: “Might trying to understand the soul take us to the next level? But the problem is, the soul is not a ‘knowable item’ and if we stare at it for long enough and it does not look like a perfect Form[2]: all we see is junk code[3].”[4] Poole further writes, “Perhaps Junk Code is actually soul; and that it is not our consciousness that makes us special, but our souls.”[5]
For this post, I will focus primarily on the concept of the soul, particularly its needs, from a Christian perspective.
Soul Searching
With the mind-blowing advancements in AI technology, we must first look at ourselves and our soul’s needs. Simone Weil writes, “To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.” With this statement, I ask myself, “What are we rooted in?” “How can we begin to properly handle and care for AI if we struggle to define words like humanity, consciousness, and soul?” and “Why does the soul make humans so unique?”
I believe the answer lies in the relationship between the Sender and the recipient. Werner Gitt writes, “It should be noted that the activities of all living organisms are controlled by programs comprising information.” He further suggests, “If the information is to be understood, the particular code must be known to both the sender and the recipient.”[6] As a Christian, I view this sender/recipient relationship as best reflected in the dynamic between God and His creation, particularly humans. We are designed to create, with souls in alignment with the Sender. Werner Gitt categorizes creative information as the highest level of transmitted information, and I believe God has uniquely encoded this in humans. Gitt explains that “[creative information]…does not involve copied or reproduced information. This information always requires a personal mind exercising its own free will as [the] original source.”[7] With current AI advancements, we are doing what comes naturally: creating. However, this leaves me with some concern.
My concern about the interaction between humans and artificial intelligence is that we risk exchanging a relationship with God for a reliance on technology. The apostle Paul warns in Rom. 1:25 (NIV), “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.” Furthermore, Henri Nouwen insightfully writes, “…the same powers that enable us to create new lifestyles also carry the potential for self-destruction.”[8] Ultimately, I am not sure humanity has done enough soul-searching concerning the Sender/recipient relationship and how this ultimately affects our relationship with artificial intelligence.
What does the soul want?
As a Christian, I believe the soul is longing for connection, renewal and rest in the presence of God. This deep yearning is beautifully captured in Psalm 42:1 (NIV), which says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.” Our souls thirst for communion with the Divine, desiring fulfillment only God can provide. Frank Macchia asks, “Could it be that there is really something inside of us that yearns for what Christ has to offer?”[9]
While exploring various AI innovations, I came across LOVOT, a companion robot developed by the Japanese company groove X. Marketed with the slogan, “Make the human power to love even stronger,” LOVOT is designed to foster emotional connection rather than merely perform tasks. Its actions are not pre-programmed, allowing it to react and adapt to its environment in real time, making each interaction unique. With lifelike eyes and expressive sounds, LOVOT mimics the characteristics of living creatures.[10] I am impressed by robotics like LOVOT. However, I ask myself, “Why are robotics becoming the answer to the soul’s need for connection and relationship?” For the sake of word count, I will not delve further into this question. However, I would like to further explore it in the future.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is nothing new and will continue advancing. Bloomberg recently posted that Tesla CEO Elon Musk expects to see more humanoid robots than people by 2040.[11] In addition, this week, President Trump announced an initiative for several technology giants to invest at least $500 billion in artificial intelligence.”[12] With this, I believe we must better reflect on our soul needs and remember the irreplaceable relationship between the sender and the recipient (e.g., God and humans). This relationship defines our humanity, satisfies us, and brings healing to our souls. Perhaps, when we better understand our soul needs, we can better program humanity into Artificial Intelligence? Poole writes about artificial intelligence: “They [AI] need us now to make them better because we are better than this.”[13]
We still have a lot of work to do.
[1] Eve Poole, Robotic Souls: Programming in Humanity (Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2024), 14, Kindle Edition.
[2] David Macintosh writes concerning the theory of Forms, “According to Plato, for any conceivable thing or property there is a corresponding Form, a perfect example of that thing or property. The list is almost inexhaustible. Tree, House, Mountain, Man, Woman, Ship, Cloud, Horse, Dog, Table and Chair, would all be examples of putatively independently-existing abstract perfect Ideas.” (David Macintosh, “Plato: A Theory of Forms,” Philosophy Now, Issue 90, accessed January 22, 2025, https://philosophynow.org/issues/90/Plato_A_Theory_of_Forms.)
[3] Poole categorizes junk code by the following: emotions, mistakes, storytelling, sixth sense, uncertainty, free will, and meaning.
[4] Poole, Robotic Souls, 116, Kindle Edition.
[5] Poole, Robotic Souls, 121, Kindle Edition.
[6] Werner Gitt, In the Beginning Was Information (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, n.d.), 69, Kindle Edition.
[7] Gitt, In the Beginning Was Information, 126-127, Kindle Edition.
[8] Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society (New York: Doubleday Image Book, 1979), Kindle Edition, 11.
[9] Frank D. Macchia, The Trinity Practically Speaking (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2010), 46.
[10] LOVOT, “Home,” accessed January 23, 2025, https://lovot.life/en/.
[11] “Musk Expects More Humanoid Robots Than People by 2040.” Bloomberg, October 29, 2024, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2024-10-29/musk-expects-more-humanoid-robots-than-people-by-2040
[12] Christa Marshall & E&E News, “Here’s What’s in ‘Stargate,’ the $500-Billion Trump-Endorsed Plan to Power U.S. AI,” Scientific American, January 22, 2025, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heres-whats-in-stargate-the-usd500-billion-trump-endorsed-plan-to-power-u-s/
[13] Poole, Robotic Souls, 205, Kindle Edition.
About the Author
Elysse Burns
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Elysse,
I appreciate your concern for losing our dependency on God and replace it with a dependency on tech. Jonathan Haidt covers this in his Anxious Generation book talking about A God Shaped Hole in all of us. You write “However, I ask myself, “Why are robotics becoming the answer to the soul’s need for connection and relationship?” In my cultural and human diversity class I cover the topic of sexuality. Within that I talk about sex dolls and sex robots and show them a video from a few years ago when Katie Couric did a segment on the development of sex robots. One of the customers talked about how the robots, are a perfect companion, they don’t judge you, they won’t betray you, etc. I wonder if the junk code that makes us human is part of what drives people away from others.
https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/buy-sex-robot-equipped-artificial-intelligence-20000-54712355
Where does the church fit into all of this? How can the church help people understand their souls better? I don’t expect a great answer, just some initial thoughts.