The intent of these books was to see how artificial intelligence (A.I.) dealt with the Bible and with humor. Since A.I. is generated by godless algorithms and computers, the authors sought to see if ChatGPT would treat faith issues with respect, especially in a world where Christianity is coming under increasing attacks and where the architects of A.I. seem to demean religion regularly. Additionally, the authors sought to see if A.I. had a sense of humor and if ChatGPT could generate rib-tickling jokes based on some standard comic memes and on topical and controversial issues in contemporary culture.

The results were surprising with A.I. generally being respectful of religious issues but failing to show a refined sense of humor. The books provide as much insight on artificial intelligence’s “thinking” as much as it does faith and comedy.

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Preston Lewis is the award-winning author of more than 50 novels and nonfiction books as well as numerous articles, short stories and book reviews. He began his career working at four Texas newspapers before moving into higher education communications and marketing at Texas Tech University and Angelo State University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Baylor University plus master’s degrees from Ohio State University in journalism and Angelo State in history. Lewis’s honors include two Spur Awards for western novels and articles from Western Writers of America as well as nine Will Rogers Medallion Awards for western humor, novels, short stories and articles. Harriet Kocher Lewis is a retired physical therapist and academician at Angelo State University, where she co-authored or edited numerous scientific articles or professional presentations. Her other writings include several published meditations for her church. As a member of an American Physical Therapy Association work group, she helped write the advanced level clinical education curriculum for therapists nationally. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology/PT at Baylor University as well as a PT certificate from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Lewis also has a master’s degree from Texas Tech University in health, physical education and recreation with an industrial engineering minor. She is the wife of Preston Lewis, the mother of two and the grandmother of five.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review from Lone Star Literary.

Devotions from a Soulless Machine, A Journey of Faith through Artificial Intelligence, is a vastly unique novel that dives into Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT. In recent years, ChatGPT has been at the forefront of many conversations as people use technology to shorten their time on tasks. (I interacted with an Electrical Engineer who uses AI at home to help streamline processes for his kids. The authors take a unique approach to dive into whether AI can be used to generate devotionals. The authors do extensive research, using comparative analysis to give the reader full perspective. I commend the authors for taking on such a daunting topic. Preston Lewis and Harriet Kocher Lewis do a wonderful job creating such a thought-provoking book that encourages readers to think outside the box regarding Artificial Intelligence and its impact on religion.

It is interesting to see how ChatGPT generates responses based on the loaded knowledge of the Bible. Numerous factors go into each response and adjustments can be made to tailor the response. A scripture was typed into ChatGPT and a devotional was generated. Each chapter was catered to a different topic with subtopics throughout.

For example:

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8 (KJV)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:

it is the gift of God.”

AI-generated devotional example:

In a world often driven by striving and merit, the words of Ephesians 2:8 serves as a refreshing oasis of divine truth. This verse encapsulates the heart of the gospel message–a message of grace,

redemption, and transformation.

The above is a small excerpt from the book. In the end, the authors emphasize that religion is a personal matter between us and God. Machines cannot replace divine intervention and guidance by the Holy Spirit. As a believer, for me, AI is missing the personal connection that comes from someone led by Christ. The overall consensus is that AI can only do so much and will lack emotional intelligence when generating devotionals. AI will continue to adapt to the different variants but some topics may sound similar and wording may be reused.

Devotionals from a Soulless Machine was an overall interesting read and very engaging throughout. The authors did a great job with the open dialogue back and forth with the AI. I studied how to communicate better with search engines to generate desired results, and this reminded me a lot of that.

The devotional is a great read for anyone interested in seeing a different side of AI and its potential impact on religion.

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