What Does AI Tell Us About Being Human? by David Dreyfus, Lay Worship Leader, worship service, Sunday, July 27, 2025

Worship service given July 27, 2025
Prayer by David Dreyfus, Worship Leader
https://firstparish.info/

First Parish
A liberal religious community, welcoming to all
First gathered 1739

In the era of AI, the rise of large language models (LLMs) offers a unique opportunity to reflect on what it truly means to be human. These models, capable of generating text that mimics human writing and reasoning, challenge our understanding of intelligence and creativity. But as we integrate them into various aspects of life, we can ask: What does their development tell us about ourselves? Throughout history, each major technological leap has reshaped how we view our own abilities. From the advent of agriculture to the digital revolution, tools and machines have progressively augmented or replaced human labor. For years we have extolled the virtues of what machines ultimately do better than us. LLMs represent the latest frontier, capable of tasks once thought to be exclusively human, such as writing or problem-solving. But rather than suggesting that machines have surpassed us, these advancements compel us to rethink what it is about being human that technology cannot replicate.

During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. David Dreyfus has been attending First Parish for about 12 years and participates in many aspects of community life here. He has chaired the finance committee, participates on property, helps in the kitchen, facilitates a men’s group, engages in discussion groups, and actively participates in Lectio Divina as part of a very active spiritual journey.

Offering and Giving First

The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For June, July, and August 2025, The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) will share half of the plate. For nearly 50 years, BAGLY has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts. After serving over 200,000+ youth since 1980, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth.

The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.