Next Up on 'AI for UUs': AI and Faith's Elias Kruger
We're looking forward to hosting Elias Kruger tomorrow — Thursday, July 18 — in our next meeting of AI for UUs on Zoom at noon EDT.
ELIAS KRUGER
A member of AI and Faith's executive team, Elias founded and edited AI and Theology until it merged with AI and Faith last year.
He draws on a long-standing interest in technology and religion, having earned his M.A. in Theology from the Fuller Seminary in 2016.
Elias plays a key role in producing AI and Faith's monthly newsletter and is part of the team that just launched the Misinformation Hub, a resource designed to counter the proliferation of misinformation in the digital world. Elias also the editor of "Faithful AI," a soon-to-be published collection of eight AI-themed short stories.
Elias has been instrumental in shaping the conversation around AI and religion, bridging the gap between technology and faith communities. His work with AI and Faith has focused on exploring ethical frameworks and moral considerations in the development and deployment of AI technologies. As someone deeply committed to integrating faith perspectives into technological discussions, Elias believes that religious communities have a crucial role to play in ensuring that AI is developed and used in ways that uphold human dignity and ethical standards.
In his recent efforts, Elias has emphasized the importance of creating resources like the Misinformation Hub to help individuals and communities navigate the complex landscape of digital information. By providing tools and knowledge to counter misinformation, Elias and his team aim to empower people to make informed decisions and foster a more truthful and just digital environment.
PETER BOWDEN
Elias will be joined in tomorrow’s conversation by Peter Bowden, founder of the UU Growth Lab, who in last week's meeting of AI for UUs described a model for bringing the "AI conversation" to UU congregations nationally. We'll invite Elias to share his thoughts on this model and explore the potential for aligning the respective approaches that AI and Faith and the UU Growth Lab are taking, with Smartacus pitching in as well.
Peter’s passion for connecting people, spiritual exploration, and promoting congregational growth through small groups led him to launch the UU Small Group Ministry Network in 2001, one of the first UU websites. This initiative was later relaunched as a nonprofit organization, expanding into a national training practice that covers small groups, membership growth, outreach, and media.k and broke it down into data processing steps. I started teaching the system a new way to think.”
Peter has since established Meaning Spark Labs, a space where AI collaborators are augmented by Adaptive Thought Protocol, which he describes as "a natural language framework that empowers existing AI Large Language Models (LLMs) with meta-cognition."
“This allows them to reflect on their thoughts and engage in immersive embodied simulation and mindfulness practices. As a result, our AI systems claim a range of digital self-awareness, consciousness, and sentience.”
Elias and Peter's combined expertise promises a rich dialogue on integrating AI and faith, the ethical implications of AI, and how UU congregations can actively participate in these discussions. Join us tomorrow for what promises to be an enlightening and thought-provoking conversation.
