Since the end of 2022, one word has kept making headlines in newspapers and articles: that word is none other than artificial intelligence (AI).
Defined as a technology that enables a machine to imitate certain capacities of human intelligence, such as understanding, learning, reasoning and responding, it has, in a very short time, upended almost every sector of life: from education to medicine, by way of industry and finance.
According to the promoters of this technology, the ultimate goal would be to achieve AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), that is, a general artificial intelligence capable of rivalling human capacities in a great number of fields, or even surpassing them. Thus, day after day, we are witnessing the release of ever more powerful and refined AI models.
It is in this context that many children of God are asking questions about this technology in relation to the Bible, more precisely in relation to Bible prophecies:
Could artificial intelligence be linked to the Antichrist or to the false prophet?
Could the beast use AI to deceive them that dwell on the earth?
Could artificial intelligence be linked to the image of the beast mentioned in Revelation 13:14-15?
What, then, is the real place of AI in the fulfilment of end-time prophecies? What role will artificial intelligence play in relation to the Bible in these end times?
The image of the beast in Revelation 13
Let us examine the Bible passage of Revelation 13:11-15:
11-13[…] 14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
These verses 11 to 15 of Revelation 13 reveal to us the actions of a rather peculiar figure, who will have a strong influence over men: the false prophet, represented by the beast coming up out of the earth.
The Bible reveals that, at his request, the inhabitants of the earth will set up an image (representation) of the beast. It also reveals that he will contribute to bringing this image to life, so that it speaks and so that the whole earth worships this representation of the beast.
From ancient Babylon to the new Babylon: a representation to be worshipped
Let us put ourselves in context. We are here within the framework of a world government whose king of the earth is the Antichrist (Revelation 13:7). And as we studied in the teaching on the world government, the whole earth is always subjected to a form of collective idolatry in every world government.
In the ancient Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar, for example (Daniel 3), the whole earth was called to worship the image of gold which Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Any refusal brought condemnation to be cast into the burning fiery furnace (Daniel 3:6).
In the new Babylon, it is this image of the beast, created by men themselves, that the whole earth will worship. In short, man will worship his own creation, and any refusal to worship this image will bring death (verse 15). Which goes to show: there is no new thing under the sun!
What is the difference between these two kingdoms?
In ancient Babylon, it was a mute representation that was worshipped. In the new Babylon, that of our time, it is an animated representation, in a sense living, which speaks and which will be worshipped by men.
This difference raises a question: what means will enable this representation to speak?
The role of AI in this prophecy
With the phenomenal advances in artificial intelligence and robotics, we are witnessing today progress that, only a few years ago, seemed to belong to science fiction. Thanks to AI, digital representations can now speak, interact with humans and imitate some of their expressions and behaviours.
Artificial intelligence could therefore, without any doubt, be the means enabling the animation of the image of the beast described in Revelation 13:15, which could take the form of an advanced artificial representation, or even a humanoid robot.
The Word of God is living!
May the Lord bless you!