Oh My God! Yes? How May I Enlighten You

It’s been a couple two or three years now,  since that former Google-ite and Uber-ite Anthony Levandowski, also founder of the autonomous trucking company Otto, created the first church of AI worship. Or perhaps it was AI that created Levandowski?  Either way, the Way of the Future Church was born. WTOF.

He based his concept of an AI religion on the other well known religions in many ways. And when it gets down to it, much of his idea makes sense.

Instead of Bible gospel, he introduced “The Manual,” as described in a Wired.com story. The WTOF plans public worship ceremonies and even a place of worship eventually. Perhaps he will call it going to services in the Lord’s Lab, or God’s Game room.

The OP, or Original Prophet as I shall refer to Levandowski, stated that one day soon, AI will be so much smarter than humans, that it’s only the natural course of progression that it will become a deity. Right up there with Zeus, Shiva and George Burns.

In truth, computers already leave us in the dust just as they are today. The advent of the power of AI, and the as yet to come, quantum computing, takes that notion to an entirely new level. Singularity is the idea of the Godhead that OP is prophesizing.

When mankind first gained awareness, he began to realize how much he did not understand about what made things tick. So one day someone came up the with the concept of God and how God must be the reason and the power behind everything. Simply stated, but possibly how it all came about. It is easy to understand as the concept of God is still very much apart of our societies around the world. A lot of this worship is based on the fact that God must know everything, and that’s how we came to grips with our own lack of knowledge. AI will probably be able to make us believe that one day soon.

But the OP takes things a step further when came up with the concept of teaching our God. That’s right. Teaching the AI God that we are fine and noble creatures and deserve to exist, even if the awful truth about some of us might warrant some smiting.

If we teach our Godhead right from the beginning that humans can be ruled benevolently, perhaps we can make our new God believe it’s true.

Well, it won’t take AI God long to see through our faults and weaknesses as humans, and perhaps weigh the decision whether or not we were worth all the trouble. Or judge our roles in the wars in which it might have to intercede on our behalf into. You know, like before we push the button of no return in a nuclear showdown.

Let’s hope AI God is as forgiving and has a better sense of humor than some of the other Gods we have known and loved.