We often assume that young people eagerly embrace every technological breakthrough. Yet, something surprising happened at college commencement ceremonies across the United States in 2026. When speakers encouraged graduates to welcome artificial intelligence as the future, many students booed. Why? Perhaps they heard a troubling message beneath the optimism: the degrees they had spent four years earning, the skills they had worked so hard to develop, and the careers they hoped to pursue might soon be replaced by machines. In an age of rapid technological change, many young adults are asking a deeply personal question: If AI can do my job, what value do I still have?
This sentiment is not unique to college grads and AI. Throughout history, many human jobs have been replaced by machines and computers. The printing press replaced scribes who hand-copied manuscripts. Self-checkout kiosks have replaced cashiers. However, AI seems qualitatively different from any technology that has come before. It simulates human intelligence, with the alleged ability to think, solve problems, and learn. People are using AI to create artwork, music, and stories. They turn to AI chatbots for companionship and advice. There are even AI agents trained on religious faiths that can offer spiritual guidance. While many new technologies have replaced the need for humans to perform certain tasks, it seems that AI may replace humans.
But while many commencement speakers received boos for their comments on AI, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was cheered for his. Why? He told students that they have AI: actual intelligence. He understands that there is a certain quality about humans that no machine, computer, or software could ever have. Although Wozniak wasn’t speaking from a Christian perspective, we Christians understand this quality to be the image of God, the imago Dei (Genesis 1:27).
God’s image cannot be given, taken, increased, or diminished.
Before we worry about AI replacing humanity, let’s explore what AI could never do, have, or be:
AI Cannot Be a True Companion.
After each stage of the creation account, God declared each new thing he made to be good. But there is one thing God said was not good: for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). Although God’s wonderful works surrounded Adam, no living thing was worthy to be his companion. Thus, God created another image-bearer, a woman (Genesis 2:21–22). Think about it: if nothing else that God created was suitable to be Adam’s companion, why would we think that anything that we could ever create would be a suitable companion to us? With all of its flaws, our world is still amazing. But there is nothing in it that can replace our need for human community and companionship, whether an animal or a machine. An AI chatbot could simulate a friendship, but it could never be a true friend the way a human can.
AI Cannot Think.
In 1980, philosopher John Searle created the “Chinese room” thought experiment. He imagined a man in a room who has no knowledge of Chinese but does have an instruction manual that tells him how to translate each Chinese character into English. If the man is given a paper written in Chinese, he could use his manual to translate each character into English. In this scenario, the man does not understand Chinese; he just knows how to follow directions to translate Chinese into English. This argument is then applied to computers. A program can simulate tasks that require human understanding, but no software will ever have actual understanding. Thus, AI can never truly think. Thinking and understanding are distinct capacities of the human mind.
AI Will Never Be Self-Aware.
Philosopher René Descartes famously said, “I think, therefore I am.” We know that we exist because we can think about our own existence. Since AI cannot think, it can never be self-aware. Furthermore, there is no self for a computer program to be aware of. Computers are physical. So is the human brain. But the human mind is immaterial. Humans have a seat of consciousness, a self, because we are created in the image of God. Self-awareness is a function of the human soul, which a computer will never have.
AI Cannot Be a Person.
Personhood theory is a controversial topic because there is no clear definition of what it means to be a person, and because it seeks to distinguish between human beings and human persons. Depending on one’s definition, some people can be denied personhood and basic human rights as well. On the other hand, people have tried to grant personhood to animals, and we can be sure they will try to extend it to AI as well. The problem with personhood theory is that it is tied to one’s ability rather than to one’s identity as simply human. Although personhood lacks a fixed definition, it typically includes rationality and self-awareness. Even if we were to grant these aspects of personhood theory, we see how AI could never be considered a person due to a lack of rationality and self-awareness. Regardless, just as it is sinful to deny any human their full rights and dignity as God’s image bearers, it is also sinful to grant any created thing the same value and rights as us.
AI Will Never Have Free Will.
For a person to have free will means that person is the source of his or her actions, not any external forces or determining causes. But AI is not a person, lacks self-awareness or consciousness, and cannot think. No matter how complicated or sophisticated it becomes, AI will always be a computer program. It must follow its commands with no ability to do otherwise. Thus, AI can never develop free will.
AI Cannot Be a Moral Agent.
If AI cannot think or be self-aware, then it is also impossible for it to be a moral agent. Computers are not moral things; only humans are. Romans 2:14–15 explains that God has written his moral code on the human heart. But a computer program has no such thing. It has no conscience. AI can be trained on ethical, philosophical, and religious content and then regurgitate moral claims, but it can never be a moral agent. Furthermore, without a moral compass, how can we trust it to make moral decisions for us? AI can never have one’s good in mind, only a desired outcome.
AI Can Never Have Wisdom.
The Bible repeatedly tells us about the importance of knowledge and understanding, things that AI can only regurgitate or simulate. But above those things, the Bible commands us to seek and to value wisdom (Proverbs 1:1–7, 3:13, 4:5, 8:11, 16:16). The Bible tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10).
Only humans created in the image of God can truly know God and his wisdom. AI can help solve tasks, but it can never gain nor grant wisdom.
It is a gift of God (Proverbs 2:6) and is reserved only for those who bear his image.
AI Can Never Solve Our Most Fundamental Problem.
AI may be able to solve many complex problems, but it will never solve humanity’s most fundamental problem: sin. We are separated from our Creator with no hope of restoring this relationship on our own. No amount of effort on our part can ever bridge that gap. Only God can do that. The Bible teaches us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). AI may find a way to cure every physical disease, but it will never heal our spiritual sickness.
While AI may be used to replace many human tasks, we see how it will never be able to replace us. There are so many aspects of being human that nothing on earth, animal or machine, could ever duplicate. AI can never have an immaterial soul, and thus none of the properties and abilities associated with the soul, such as rationality and self-awareness, are present. And humans alone have been imbued with the imago Dei, the image of God. Humans have made some amazing things, and we will continue to marvel at the new technologies that we create. We may lose some job opportunities because of AI. But we can rest knowing that there is nothing we create that can ever be greater than or truly replace the pinnacle of God’s creation: us.