Are we outsourcing our wisdom?

AI can give us information, wording, solutions and options, but it cannot give us wisdom. It cannot give us maturity, discernment, prayerfulness, self-awareness, moral courage or character. These are not formed by talking to a screen. They are formed by engaging fully with real people in the real world, across the broad and often messy spectrum of human growth and behaviour.

People today use AI in all kinds of ways. That is fine, provided AI remains a tool. It should always remain a tool. It is not a friend. It is not a companion. It is not a counsellor. It is not a replacement for prayer, reflection, human wisdom or honest conversation.

I have heard of couples using AI during arguments. They feed each other’s comments into their phones and then use AI’s response as their comeback. How depressingly sad. Instead of listening, reflecting, apologising, forgiving and learning to love, they outsource the argument to a machine. Rather than using and strengthening their God-given wisdom, they are blinding accepting someone else’s wisdom. A lifeless phone and digital program becomes the referee, the counsellor and the weapon. That is not growth. That is relational laziness dressed up as intelligence.

Others have sadly sought deeply personal counsel from AI in moments of distress and despair. That should concern us. No algorithm can sit with you, love you, pray for you, hold your pain, look into your eyes, or walk with you through the valley. AI may generate words, but it cannot offer embodied love. It cannot offer true pastoral care. It cannot replace the presence of another human being.

Wisdom grows through life, not through shortcuts. A parent grows in wisdom by engaging with her child who hits another child at preschool or dumps dinner straight on the floor. A business leader grows in character when he faces the tough conversation with a co-worker rather than avoiding it. A husband and wife grow in love and understanding when they learn to resolve tensions together through sacrificial love, humility and commitment.

Some people may think that getting instant solutions from AI will help them avoid the tough and uncomfortable areas of life. In one sense, they are right. AI can offer a quick answer. It can give a polished response. It can help us avoid the discomfort of thinking, waiting, praying, apologising and seeking counsel. But that is not wisdom. That is not character. That is not maturity.

It may feel like a quick fix, but it can become a slow slide into dehumanisation. Just as our muscles atrophy without regular and demanding exercise, our character and wisdom atrophy when we constantly take the easy road. If we outsource every hard conversation, every moral decision, every emotional response and every awkward moment, we do not become wiser. We become weaker. We become shallower. We become less able to love, give, sacrifice, listen and genuinely care for others.

When life throws a curveball, it is tempting to run to AI for an answer. We live in a fast-paced world filled with noise, pressure and expectations. It is easy to place complicated curveballs in the “too hard” basket and look for a quick way out.

But growth rarely comes through the easy way out. Make time to reflect. Sit with the issue. Pray. Think. Talk to wise people. Seek counsel. Listen carefully. Ask what God may be teaching you. Work through the discomfort rather than escaping it. In doing so, you will grow in wisdom and character. You will grow in empathy and love. You will become more deeply human.

AI may help you write a sentence, but it cannot teach you how to love your spouse. It may suggest a response, but it cannot give you humility. It may provide an answer, but it cannot form your soul. So use AI wisely. Use it c

arefully. Use it as a tool. But do not give it the place that belongs to God, wisdom, prayer, community and courage. The goal of life is not to sound intelligent or to have a quick answer for everything. The goal is to become wise, loving, courageous and deeply human. You’ve finished the article, so go spend some quality time with someone you truly love.

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