December 02, 2024 | Paris, France | BIA-ANN
Adventist-Laymen's Services and Industries (ASI) is actively exploring the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to amplify its evangelistic mission. A dedicated AI committee has been established to study and implement AI-based strategies in the ministry.
AI: revolutionary potential for evangelization
ASI recognizes the transformative potential of AI for the future of evangelism, even comparing it to the impact of the internet. “AI is a tool that, used wisely, could revolutionize the way we share the gospel,” said Dan Houghton, vice president of ASI Missions Inc. and chair of the AI committee.
A prudent and responsible approach
Aware of the potential risks associated with AI, including abuse, unintended consequences and malicious intent, the committee advocates a cautious and responsible approach. “We are committed to moving forward carefully, ensuring that the tools we use are rigorously evaluated and aligned with our values,” said Dan Houghton. The committee identifies AI tools and technologies suitable for existing ministries and develops new initiatives for the Adventist community, while taking steps to guard against unforeseen risks.
Support from ASI management
Andi Hunsaker, President of ASI, fully supports the AI initiative, drawing on her own experience as a physician. “I use AI in my medical practice and have seen its power to improve efficiency and achieve better outcomes,” she explained. “I am excited to apply AI in a positive way to evangelism and ministry. »
Strategic investment of offerings
ASI has decided to dedicate one-third of the excess offerings from its annual convention to AI-related initiatives. This decision reflects the board's belief in the potential of AI to transform the ministry. This investment will fund AI technologies and projects that would otherwise be too costly for individual departments.
Pooling of resources and economies of scale
The committee aims to create economies of scale by pooling resources. For example, by purchasing AI services, such as language translation, in bulk, ASI can significantly reduce costs for each participating department.
Inter-ministerial collaboration
The strength of ASI's AI initiative lies in its collaboration with various Adventist ministries, such as 3ABN, Amazing Facts, It Is Written, AudioVerse, Voice of Prophecy, Adventist World Radio, Hope Channel, Lineage, 8Thirty2 and Ellen G. White Estate. This collaboration allows us to share knowledge, best practices and accelerate the adoption of effective AI solutions.
Creating an Adventism-specific dataset
The committee is also exploring the creation of an Adventist-specific dataset, to ensure that AI tools used in ministries are aligned with Adventist values and teachings. John Bradshaw, president of It Is Written, is leading a team studying the project.
AI technologies already in use
The IA committee is exploring various technologies, including language translation, a crucial area for global evangelism. Tools like HeyGen are used to translate video content, but challenges remain, including accounting for accents, dialects and cultural nuances.
Future development areas
The committee identified five key areas for the future: video and audio translation, print media, image generation and infrastructural support. The goal is to create tools and processes accessible to many organizations, in order to amplify the impact of their evangelism efforts.
Source : ASI Ministries
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