Russell Moore Calls AI a Babel Moment and Warns Christians Against Becoming Machinelike
Christianity Today editor Russell Moore published a new column this week arguing that the rise of artificial intelligence represents a spiritual test for the church. He warned that the greatest danger is not that machines will become too human, but that humans will become increasingly machinelike.
Russell Moore, editor at large for Christianity Today, published a column this week calling the rapid rise of artificial intelligence a "Babel moment" for the church, arguing that the technology poses a deeper spiritual challenge than most Christians recognize.
Moore drew on the biblical story of the Tower of Babel to frame his argument. He said the modern AI surge is driven by two impulses: a utopian desire for self-exaltation and a dystopian fear of being forgotten or replaced.
"The greatest danger of AI is not that machines will become too humanlike," Moore wrote, "but that humans will become increasingly machinelike, replacing meaningful connection with isolated, algorithmic-driven vices."
Moore said contemporary society is governed by what he called a technocratic mindset that values optimization and control above all else. He argued this mindset risks reducing human beings to functions and systems rather than persons made in the image of God.
The column referenced Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which Moore praised for rejecting a simple good-versus-bad framing of AI. Instead, Moore said the Pope described two possible paths: one leading to dehumanization and domination, the other toward rehumanization and genuine human connection.
Moore also addressed the misuse of AI in political and religious contexts. He criticized AI-generated images depicting political figures in the likeness of Jesus, calling such images blasphemous and a sign that some Christians have created a version of Jesus that reflects their own political desires rather than the biblical reality.
The column appeared on Moore's personal site and was linked from Christianity Today's homepage. It is part of a broader series of reflections the publication has run in 2026 on faith and technology, including coverage of AI ethics, the use of AI in ministry, and the theological implications of large language models.
