Lesson 2

The Expansion of AI:

Types of AI

• Narrow AI (also called Weak AI) is a type of artificial intelligence designed to perform specific tasks by recognizing patterns and making predictions, without true understanding or general reasoning across domains. This is the most common type of AI used by the general public.

• Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) A machine with human-level reasoning across all domains.

• Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) A hypothetical AI that exceeds human intelligence in every way—logic, creativity, emotional insight, and strategic thinking.

  Quantum AI AI powered by quantum computing, potentially capable of solving problems beyond classical limits.

  Examples of Narrow AI (what we use daily):

  • Recommendation algorithms (Netflix, YouTube, Spotify)

  • Chatbots & virtual assistants (ChatGPT, Siri, Alexa)

  • Voice recognition (dictation tools, voice search)

  • Facial recognition (smartphones, surveillance)

  • Navigation systems (Google Maps traffic prediction)

  • Spam filters (email)

  • Social media feeds (TikTok, Instagram)

  • Retail personalization (Amazon, Target)

  • Language translation (Google Translate)

  • Autopilot in cars (Tesla, GM)

  Even advanced systems like ChatGPT or Midjourney are still Narrow AI because they don’t understand or reason generally — they’re trained to respond based on probabilities within certain bounds.
  **Large Language Models (LLMs), like ChatGPT, are a type of Narrow AI**

Key Verse:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” — Proverbs 1:7

WE DON’T KNOW THE EXTENT! A recent House hearing revealed that U.S. firms use trade secrecy to hide AI advances—shielding them from espionage and public view.

These systems are designed for specific tasks and thrive on pattern recognition—not general reasoning or self-awareness. In contrast, more advanced concepts like Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), Artificial Superintelligence (ASI), and Quantum AI, remain experimental, theoretical, or undisclosed. While headlines often tease breakthroughs in these frontier technologies, they are not publicly available or confirmed to exist in their full potential. For now, Narrow AI quietly shapes our daily digital lives while the rest wait on the horizon. We will explore how Narrow AI can be dangerous in the next lesson.

It’s easy to fixate on AGI and superintelligence, waiting for some dramatic “AI takeover.” But that fear can distract us from the deeper truth: we don’t need an all-powerful, sentient machine to lose control—we just need humans with the wrong motives programming systems with domination in mind. Narrow AI, the kind already embedded in everyday life, is more than enough. It’s quietly shaping how we shop, vote, drive, learn, speak, and even worship. These tools don’t need to be conscious to be dangerous—they just need to be integrated, optimized, and placed into the hands of governments, corporations, or ideologies eager to control.

This is where discernment becomes vital. Biblically, discernment is the Spirit-led ability to distinguish between good and evil, truth and deception (Hebrews 5:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). It’s not passive suspicion—it’s active, prayerful attention. In a world shaped by invisible code, Christians must remain awake, alert, and led by the Spirit. We should monitor AI developments the same way we’d watch a man walking toward a window with a hammer—you don’t assume the worst, but you stay ready to respond. The danger isn’t just in what AI is, but in how it’s used—and by whom.

Reflection Question:
Where do you see AI being used today in ways that support eternal perspective and Christian values? Where do you see it being used in ways that could lead to harm, deception, or control?

Citing The Sources

Bubeck, S., Chandrasekaran, V., Eldan, R., Gehrke, J., Horvitz, E., Kamar, E., Lee, P., Lee, Y. T., Li, Y., Lundberg, S. M., Nori, H., Palangi, H., Ribeiro, M. T., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Sparks of artificial general intelligence: Early experiments with GPT‑4. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2303.12712 Bohrium+1Temple University CIS+1Wikipedia+10arXiv+10bibsonomy.org+10

Świechowski, M. (2022). Deep learning and artificial general intelligence: Still a long way to go. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2203.14963 ResearchGate+5arXiv+5arXiv+5

TechTarget. (n.d.). General AI vs. narrow AI comes down to adaptability. SearchEnterpriseAI. Retrieved July 2025, from https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/General-AI-vs-narrow-AI-comes-down-to-adaptability arXivarXiv

TechXplore. (2023, November 20). Researchers seek consensus on what constitutes artificial general intelligence. Phys.org. Retrieved from https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-consensus-constitutes-artificial-general-intelligence.html Portkey+3arXiv+3arXiv+3

Future of Life Institute. (2025, July 17). AI firms 'unprepared' for dangers of building human‑level systems, report warns. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jul/17/ai-firms-unprepared-for-dangers-of-building-human-level-systems-report-warns arXiv

Tom’s Guide. (2025, May 17). Has AI exceeded human levels of intelligence? The answer is more complicated than you might think. Retrieved from https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/has-ai-exceeded-human-levels-of-intelligence-the-answer-is-more-complicated-than-you-might-think arXiv

Financial Times. (2025, June). Why Big Tech cannot agree on artificial general intelligence. FT.com. Retrieved from https://www.ft.com/content/d20e8c22-bc03-4404-ac93-f7886525d8d6 arXiv

TechLearning. (2025, July). AGI (Artificial General Intelligence): What teachers need to know. Retrieved from https://www.techlearning.com/news/agi-artificial-general-intelligence-what-teachers-need-to-know

📖 Biblical Verses to Support This Lesson:

• Hebrews 5:14 – “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

• 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22 – “Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”

• Ephesians 2:1 – “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins…”

• Matthew 24:24 – “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

• Genesis 11:4–9 – (Tower of Babel) Humanity's attempt to unify and become like God, resulting in divine intervention.