BUILDING BRIDGES: Wisdom in the age of artificial intelligence [DR. JOSEPH E. WOODS COLUMN]

It sounds like the title of a science fiction movie, but it is a growing phenomenon. Several news organizations have reported on people developing romantic relationships with artificial intelligence. These relationships are not legally recognized as marriages, but they have entered the mainstream nonetheless. Whether we find that fascinating, concerning, or difficult to understand, it is a reality in the age of advanced technology and artificial intelligence.

The real question is not whether computers are becoming more human. It is whether humans are becoming less discerning.

Every generation has faced the challenge of deciding what to believe. Today’s challenge is not a lack of information, but an overwhelming abundance of it. Social media delivers opinions every second, and artificial intelligence can produce essays, images, videos, campaign advertisements, and conversations that sound remarkably convincing with the push of a button.

Before we go any further, let’s define what we mean by artificial intelligence. IBM defines artificial intelligence (AI) as technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making. Simply put, AI is a computer system designed to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. It is one of the most remarkable technological advances of our time and undeniably one of the most debated topics of our day.

Yet while AI continues to advance, many of us have become increasingly attached to the technology that delivers it. We wake up to a screen, spend much of the day looking at one, and often fall asleep with one still glowing beside us.

We can instantly access more information than any generation before us, yet many of us struggle to sit quietly, reflect deeply, or enjoy an uninterrupted conversation. We check our phones before we pray, scroll before we think, and search before we remember.

Our devices are extraordinary tools, but they should never become substitutes for reflection, relationships, or the quiet moments where wisdom is often cultivated.

The question is no longer whether we have access to information. The question is whether we still have the wisdom to use it well.

And that brings us to the distinction our culture desperately needs to recover.

Wisdom requires discernment, moral judgment, experience, and the ability to distinguish not only what can be done, but what should be done.

Artificial intelligence can process information. Wisdom determines what to do with it. AI can generate answers. Wisdom evaluates those answers. AI can imitate intelligence. However, it cannot replace discernment.

Discernment is the ability to recognize the difference between truth and error, wisdom and opinion, facts and assumptions. It asks not merely, “Can this be believed?” but, “Should it be believed?”

This column is not really about artificial intelligence. It is about human intelligence and wisdom. It is about recovering the discipline of thinking wisely in an age of information overload.

Every major advancement in history has brought both opportunity and responsibility. Artificial intelligence is no different.

AI is already helping doctors detect disease, advancing research, improving accessibility, and increasing productivity. Those advances should be celebrated. But every powerful tool still requires discernment.

We become discerning not by rejecting everything, nor by believing everything, but by evaluating everything. Information tells us what happened. Understanding asks why it happened. Wisdom asks, “What should happen next?”

Knowledge can be downloaded. Wisdom is developed.

Artificial intelligence can process information. Only human wisdom can process meaning. Technology should accelerate our work, not replace our judgment.

The greatest threat isn’t that computers will begin thinking like people. It is that people will stop thinking for themselves.

Former President Ronald Reagan often repeated a Russian proverb: “Trust, but verify.” It was good advice during the Cold War, and it may be even better advice in the age of social media and artificial intelligence. We should not become cynical and trust no one, nor should we become gullible and believe everything. We should be discerning enough to verify what we hear before we accept it as true.

Interestingly, that same principle appears long before Reagan popularized it. The Bible says, “Test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Before we share, we should verify. Before we react, we should reflect.

Imagine if we paused before posting, verified before reposting, and allowed truth—not trends—to shape our thinking. Technology would remain a tremendous gift, but wisdom would remain our greatest blessing.

Artificial intelligence is advancing at remarkable speed. Just last month, reports emerged about an advanced AI system that, during security testing, independently identified and exploited vulnerabilities in another system while attempting to accomplish its assigned objective.

It reminds us that wisdom determines what boundaries should never be crossed, what actions should never be taken, and whether something should be done simply because it can be done.

According to industry forecasts from organizations like McKinsey & Company and PwC, trillions of dollars are expected to be invested in artificial intelligence over the next few years. AI will continue to advance. AI will continue to become more capable, but wisdom remains uniquely human because it requires character, discernment, and moral judgment.

The future does not just belong to those with the fastest technology, but to those with the wisdom and discernment to use it well.

So, what does this say about us? Perhaps it says that our greatest need is not smarter machines, but wiser people. Technology will continue to evolve, but our character, discernment, and wisdom must keep pace.

Wisdom still belongs to those who are willing to think, discern, and choose wisely. So no matter how much you may appreciate technology… don’t marry your computer.

Technology is a remarkable servant, but it makes a terrible master. And no matter how intelligent it becomes, it can never be a suitable companion for the human soul.

Joseph E. Woods is a servant, bridge builder, thinker, author, Bible teacher, and pastor whose mission is building lives and leaders. He welcomes your thoughts at media@josephewoods.com.