“Why does Noah look different in every shot?” The question continued to run through my mind while I watched. “2 x 2” AI-generated music video– Rockin’ Country Worship Songs about the Bible Flood Account (also generated by AI). And I was confused by Noah’s inconsistent appearance, but I couldn’t help but notice I can’t hit his nails, A strange and foreboding creature helping his family outdoorsand more A pair of cute triceratops.
yes, Triceratops.
At first, such observations may seem to nit the pedantry, especially given the obvious biblical focus of the video and worship poses. (But I don’t know what to do with those dinosaurs.) But they get to the heart of why I find this video and who likes it. That is, the sloppy things they are produced, and then the carelessness that they are criticized and consumed.
Given the invasions that AI does not depend on our lives, it is not surprising that it is a major invasion of Christian evangelism, missionary and worship, whether we sought it or not. pray.com‘s AI Bible Projectcreated the aforementioned “2 x 2” video and other AI-generated videos. Four Knights of the Apocalypse, Genesis Creation Account, Ruth’s Bookand Nephilim (To name a few topics), “We aim to use cutting-edge, generator AI to transform timeless biblical stories into immersive, surreal experiences. Goals – “[reimagine] It provides engaging, visually engaging, thought-provoking content that connects with the Bible and resonates with today’s generations” – ambitious, admiring his face.
If you care about art created with the stated goal of leading man to a deeper connection with God’s Word In fact, it was not created by the human mind or by the hand.?
For this reason, the AI ​​Bible project was released. One Year Music Bible, pt. 1an AI-created song concept album inspired by the first 25 chapters of Genesis, creating a “spiritual soundtrack for a contemporary audience” using “a bold and immersive fusion of country soul, cinema EDM, hip-hop rhythm and gospel fire.” So far, four AI-generated videos have been released for albums, and more AIs have been released in the future.
There is no denying that AI Bible videos are smooth and flashy in their typical AI methods. If the YouTube comments are any indication, they are hitting chords with many people. Consider these sample comments about the “2 x 2” video.
- “Amazing. It gives me chills.”
- “This is amazing. King Jesus has not wasted any time through his people these days.”
- “It’s just so heartwarming and brings the Bible to life.”
- “Creativity Aura +1000000000.”
So, what’s the problem?
For now, let’s put aside the usual criticism leveled with AI. The impact on the environment, Use of stolen pirated intellectual propertythe threat it poses to our collective understanding of reality, Ability to spin conspiracy theories and stimulate delusional thoughtsand It’s deceptive and even has psychotic behavior. While all of these are valid concerns, generative AI, such as those used to create AI Bible videos, also raises questions about the nature of human creativity and imagination. In other words, Can images, videos or songs created by generative AI be truly considered the fruit of human effort, labor, and imagination?? If not, what exactly is it and why should we care?
Scientists, philosophers, programmers, lawyers and politicians have been fighting for answers to these questions for years, and the debate shows no indication that it will resolve immediately. This question may seem trivial or worse, especially if you think that AI is another tool, such as Photoshop, Pro Tools, Premier, etc. (all the applications used to create images, music, and videos). However, while these programs require a significant investment in the human time, effort, and intention to masterfully learn and use, generative AI needs to unleash something other than one sentence. Surprisingly and unpleasantly realistic content. Videos generated for longer AI, such as “2 x 2” may require additional editing to sew different scenes together into cohesive ones. But it is nothing compared to the amount of work involved in purely human-created work, even with the help of modern software.
This distinction, however subtle, applies to AI-generated content, but takes an additional layer of meaning and concern for Christians. Specifically, we must care about art created with the stated goal of portraying man in a deeper connection with God’s Word. In fact, it was not created by the human mind or by the hand.?
Even 20 years ago, even ten years ago, the question may have seemed like a premise. Black mirror episode. But that’s a question that John Piper pointed out when he spoke earlier this year. Prayers generated by AI. Recently, O. Outlined by Alain Noble His own concerns about AI And the potential impact it has for pastors, specifically “makes our churches more shiny, refined and corporate, but less human, intimate and wise.” For example, regarding preparation for AI sermons, he wrote:
[T]This is the wisdom that comes from studying the word that you studied the word. You will struggle with poetry, organize your own ideas, turn pages, read commentary, pray for you to pray for the work of the Holy Spirit and guide you. This work is offloaded into that valuable process to the AI ​​short circuit. The beautiful unity and spread of the Bible falls within the scope of machines, not pastors.
While Noble may write about AI within a particular context of pastors and churches, his broader concern about the dehumanizing effect of AI is equally related to the worship music produced by AI and Bible music videos.
This dehumanization can unfold A clear and practical approach to creativity, artistry and worshipan approach inherently allows something as long as there is a possibility to spread God’s Word. In other words, Christians are encouraged to embrace, praise and promote sloppy, soulless work, simply because of that Maybe Useful for the kingdom. in Recent interviews with 404 Media‘s Emanuel MaibergProfessor Corrina Laughlin discussed Christians embracing AI videos.
Unlike other audiences, Star Wars Fans who recently passionately rejected AI-generated films with short AI-generated concepts said they were not surprised to comment that they loved low-quality AI-generated videos from the AI ​​Bible.
“The metrics for success are completely different,” she said. “This isn’t necessarily about creativity. It’s about spreading the word, and the kind of acceleration that AI offers is what you do with God’s work.”
Or imagine, as one commenter wrote in an AI Bible video Studio Ghibli’s Bible Film“For me, it’s not about artists, it’s about conveying the message in the way I need.”
However, such utilitarianism is not for reasons other than because it often lowers the standard and allows it to do so. Potentially It conveys a specific message. This is often the case One of the major criticisms levelled in modern Christian music and pop cultureoften trade true creativity and expression for simple lyrics and shiny aesthetics. But it’s not art. It’s propaganda.
This brings me back to those questions I raised at the beginning of this article regarding Noah’s ever-changing appearance and inappropriate carpentry. And yes, those Triceratops.
Human filmmakers may actually be interested in continuity, thus ensuring that the protagonist maintains a consistent appearance from start to finish. Or if he was making something out of a tree so that he could actually hammer a nail into his head, like a giant boat intended to save his family and countless animals. However, AI generators don’t care about such things (because they don’t know what they actually mean), and they rush to post smooth, viral-friendly content on YouTube and social media, and it seems like the AI ​​Bible project isn’t the case either.
My social media feed frequently displays examples of AI “film making” cited as Unrefutable evidence that traditional Hollywood filmmaking is dead. There is no doubt that AI videos are improving at a scary pace. Yet, for all their smooth, flashy visuals, all the examples I have ever seen are filled with flaws of continuity, visual hallucinations, inconsistent editing, and/or inhumane movements emerging from depths. The eerie valley. (However, even if generative AI proves that it can ultimately rival Kubrick, Kurosawa, Miyazaki, Spielberg and Tarkovsky, it is still merely approximation and fusion. There is no human agency and creativity. )
What is often grouped under the term “slop” is something human filmmakers and artists try to avoid in order to reduce their work and distract them from their message. As people who worship great artists, and as people who simply have made the universe exist and have made great beauty extravagant by the power of his words. The most insignificant aspect of his creationChristians should demand less than our own art.
Source: Christ and Pop Culture – christandpopculture.com
