This online session introduces the economic, political, and theological questions and contexts that will be further engaged in our in-person session this winter. Building off of last year's theme of increasing access in the field, our online session combines impactful presentations of original research and sharing of high quality resources for doing research in the field. We highly encourage all those interested in the study of human enhancement, transhumanism, and artificial intelligence to attend and discuss developments in the field.
This study explores the theological tensions surrounding AI and human enhancement technologies (HETs) by revisiting the scriptural concepts of Imago Dei (Genesis 1:27), human stewardship (Genesis 1:28), and Khalīfa (Al-Baqarah 2:30). It examines whether AI-driven advancements undermine or fulfill the telic reasoning of the genesis in the scriptures, analyzing Jewish, Christian, and Islamic theological perspectives. Employing philological and exegetical critique, the study questions whether human identity is immutable or dynamically participatory in creation. The discussion integrates AI applications—Neuralink, CRISPR, and AI prosthetics—comparing the Halakha, Christian ethics, and Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah in the underlying scriptural references. Ultimately, the research investigates the literature shaped around the discussion in the religious communities whether technological progress constitutes a violation of divine role assigned to humanity via hubris or the fulfillment of its concept of genesis with humility.