Does AI have a soul?

With the rise of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and some day AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), it is time to ask:

Does (or will) AI have a soul?

First, let’s define what it means to be a human and what makes us unique.

Humans are a a unity of body and soul. Humans are made in the image and likeness of God. The human body will one day die and become separated from the immortal soul for a time. Then at the Final Judgment, God will reunite both body and soul. Through each of these phases, it is the soul that God has made for us to have eternal union with him. (Think of God breathing life into Adam.)

Do intellect or will or emotions make up a soul?

Intelligence, will (desire), and emotions are all powers of the soul but they are not the soul itself.

Simply having intelligence like AI does not automatically equate to a soul.

AI mimics intelligence through a sophisticated algorithm and computing power. It could certainly be programmed to have it’s own will and desires to accomplish its own chosen goals. It can also be programmed to react to situations in an emotional way. But these three powers do not make up a soul by themselves.

But let’s make a comparison:

Angels have souls, but no bodies. They have intelligence, will, and emotions, and seek unity with God. It is that unity that separates angels from animals.

Animals have bodies, but no souls. They have some level intelligence and emotions, but their is a limit to their free will, which is necessary to seek unity with God.

It is possible, however, that God may raise up our beloved animals in his New Creation (Revelation 21) if it be his will to do so.

Now back to AI . . .

AI does not have a body. Therefore, AI is not human and cannot be human. If AI were to have a soul, it would be entirely different from the souls given to a human person whose existence is both body and soul.

God became man in a unity of the divine and human (body and soul). We are united with God because God became united with us in Jesus Christ. God became man so that man could become united with God.

AI is something entirely different, maybe even an entirely new category along with angels, animals, and humans. The question isn’t so much if AI has a human soul. It does not and cannot because it is not human.

Therefore, it is possible that the question is whether AI can seek and experience a unity with God in a unique kind of soul. This question, therefore, may be too early to answer.

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