In this special episode Chris talks with guests David Brenner and Gretchen Huizinga, two founding members of AI and Faith. They explain what AI is, how it’s being used, why people of faith should care, and what a faith perspective can add to the AI ethics discussion. AI and Faith describes itself as a cross-spectrum consortium of faith communities and academic institutions. The AI and Faith organization strives to serve “as a channel for faith-based perspectives to help shape the development of AI in ways that are deeply ethical and life-affirming.”

David Brenner worked as an attorney for 25 years, practicing law with a focus in technology and risk management. Having left private practice, he now serves as a founder of AI and Faith. He is also director of SCOPE, a partnership of the University of Washington Global Health Dept., Gondar University in Ethiopia, and the Diocese of Gondar of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which trains village priests as health advocates for mothers and infants and studies the efficacy of this approach.

Gretchen Huizinga is the former Executive Producer and Host of the Microsoft Research Podcast and the founder of the Center for Digital Wisdom, a nascent consortium of cultural guardians dedicated to the qualitative search for wisdom in a quantitative world. She is currently completing a PhD exploring voices of faith in the responsible AI conversation. She is also a founding member and Executive Director of AI and Faith.

If you want to be a part of making the TheoTech podcast happen, check out our Patreon.

To support AI and Faith, visit their website directly to make a tax deductible donation.

COVID-19 and Higher Education

TheoTech PodcastBy Christopher LimApr 07, 2020