Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently shared his personal views on God with Tucker Carlson.
Altman pointed back to his Jewish heritage, but says he does not take the Bible to be the literal Word of God. “I’m Jewish, and I would say I have like, a fairly traditional view of the world that way,” says Altman. “I’m not like a literalist on the Bible, but I’m not someone who says I’m culturally Jewish.”
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He then expressed confusion about God, but noted that he believes there is something that must exist. “I think probably like most other people, I’m somewhat confused on this, but I believe there is something bigger going on than… can be explained by physics.” He also said he does not feel as though our existence and the creation of the world is a “spontaneous accident.”
“I don’t think I have the answer,” Altman says. “I don’t know exactly what happened, but I think there is a mystery beyond my comprehension…”
Speaking further on the topic of whether or not AI can be alive in the same sense that people are alive, Altman insists that it is not alive. “They don’t do anything unless you ask… They’re like just sitting there kind of waiting. They don’t have a sense of agency or autonomy,” he explained.
Altman also described artificial intelligence as a purposeful tool. “They can do things that maybe don’t seem alive, but….they do seem smart,” Altman says.
The discussion of AI naturally raises ethical questions, particularly as these systems influence human decisions. Some users, as Carlson points out, perceive AI as having a divine or spiritual dimension, but Altman rejects this notion: “There’s nothing to me at all that feels divine about it or spiritual in any way.”
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From a Christian perspective, Altman’s reflections serve as both a caution and a reminder. As believers, this should help us to remember that no machine can replace God’s authority, wisdom or moral guidance. The rapid development and influence of AI also presents ethical challenges that require discernment. Christians are called to engage these technologies thoughtfully, exercising wisdom and prayerful consideration to ensure that our use of such tools aligns with God’s truth and serves His purposes rather than being led astray by human ingenuity alone.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment.
