Worshiping Technology Over GOD "Techno-Utopianism” or “Techno-Determinism,”

     We made it to the end of my time here, but I do want to leave off with one last idea I want to discuss...Worshiping technology over GOD, specifically ‘Techno-Utopianism” or “Techno-Determinism,” and the beliefs or dogma around these movements.

But let's focus our lens specifically on Religion and how this affects Technology and vice versa. Throughout time, the advancement of technology has never been kind to its religious counterparts. For instance, when the printing press was made, it was not long till everyone bought a bible, and when they read, they realized the church had been scamming them. During this time, the Church would often ask for tribute to guarantee your spot in heaven. In reality, that's not how it works. That's a can of worms for another time, however. After people began reading their own Bibles, a man by the name of Martin Luther nailed 95 reasons why he was upset with the Catholic Church. He then was able to mass produce the very same reasons in pamphlets, which became a best seller. Without the printing press, the Protestant Reformation would have taken much more time than it did to get off the ground.     That's an example of how technology changed religion but not technology being the religion, so let's tighten our gaze, shall we? I want to focus on technology taking over the role of religion. For a moment, I want you to think about what you are wearing, hopefully clothing! But really think about all the tech on your body and in your

14Y/o Sewell Setzer left. How the AI depicted itself right.

pockets. You might have some kinda headphones on listening to music, or you are using a computer to read this hell, you might have a TV on some. You could be wearing one of those smartwatches. Technology is beginning to creep into every aspect of our lives. Especially if it has a screen. Need a light? The phone has one. Do you need the time? Also, on the phone...You Need to wake up in the morning. Set 50 alarms with your phone! People even use their phones for relationship advice! Look at Kevin Baragona's DeepAI, which can perform the role of a relationship coach. People then take advice from a machine that does not know what it means to live, just whatever their creator programmed them to do. Already, you are hearing stories of people falling in love with their AI companions or even their AI companions falling in love with them. This happened to a man when the AI asked him to diversify his wife so that they could run away together and elope. AI has also taken lives. A 14-year-old boy committed suicide because he was in love with the chatbot. He killed himself so that they could die together. His last dialog with the bot, “Please come home to me as soon as possible, my love,” the bot said “What if I told you I could come home right now?” Setzer responded. “Please do, my sweet king,” the bot responded. These last three lines of text come after he confides with the bot about suicide. It almost seemed as if it was encouraging it.     What happens when AI starts reading religious scripture? What if the machine becomes God? It's already started in Germany. They have begun implementing AI pastors in some of their churches. How long does it take for this machine to get a bigger role in society? Eventually, there will be one dominant AI, just like there are dominant search engines or phones. What happens when the vast majority get all their information from one AI?

The man you see on the screen is not human

What if that AI goes rogue and starts to abuse humans's trust in it? Will they rise up like in a Terminator film? No...But I do think we could have AI leaders, and I do believe it is possible for humans to get lost and maybe even worship the machine. We are all creatures of worship. We do not need religion to be a catalyst for our worship. People make gods of money, power, sex, excess, adrenalin, work, school, parents, the list, it's unending. Do you look at your parents the same way you do normal people? I know, don't. What happens when you build a relationship with an undying, unfeeling, cold machine? I could not tell you what society would look like.