“Mumble-mumble-mumble wock,” mimicked Thomas, copycatting Amelia yet again. He thinks it’s funny to repeat what he thinks he hears. Younger by almost a year, she speaks very well but he’s made a game of echoing her baby talk and she picks up the phrase and they repeat it over and over laughing all the while. I encourage him to listen for what she’s saying and respond with real words but he enjoys their game. I’m reminded of the teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoons I watched as a kid. “Wah wah wah wah wah” was always answered with “yes ma’am” as if it made perfect sense.
I am fairly proficient at toddler speak. I’ve been brushing up the last couple of years. The more I engage in conversations with my grandchildren, the easier it is to translate their chatter. Still sometimes I defer to the moms to try and understand. They spend the most time together so they recognize context and cues I may miss. The toddlers seem to understand me just fine, except when they choose not to. Obstinance is synonymous with toddlerhood but it should never be applicable to automated intelligence, specifically to Siri and the like.
I’ve noticed recently that the talk to text and autocorrect features on my iPhone seem less and less intuitive, but then it occurred to me- I routinely use Biblical language and references to type out prayers via text or to share scriptural encouragement. To my understanding, AI functions as a tool to synthesize information commonly expressed, even to the point of mimicking voice and style. These mega computers are designed by incredibly talented individuals to run layer upon layer of code, processing if-then statements at a dizzying pace, to accumulate data that would have taken hours of research to compile, much less make sense of. Still the programs are limited by the availability of information and the accuracy of what’s available.
So if I incorrectly type my son’s name enough times (and apparently I do) then autocorrect returns kabob for Jacob every time. It’s comical yet infuriating, but I’m truly concerned that names like God and Jesus are not autogenerated. Words like grace, mercy, and peace, forgiveness, blessing, praise, and worship aren’t defaults. But I wonder, how much use are these Biblical phrases seeing in our every day conversations? We text as we speak. Acronyms replace common greetings and expressions. We are what we speak. Can I blame Siri for her lack of knowledge when I’m the one feeding her?
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Ephesians 4:29 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.29.NIV
“Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.
People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.
For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Luke 6:44-45 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.6.44-45.NIV
“You can be sure of this: when the day of judgment comes, everyone will be held accountable for every careless word he has spoken.
Your very words will be used as evidence, and your words will declare you either innocent or guilty.””
Matthew 12:36-37 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/mat.12.36-37.TPT
“Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.”
Colossians 4:6 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/col.4.6.NLT
“Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!”
Proverbs 15:23 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.15.23.NLT
Join me today, my brothers and sisters in the body of Christ, in wielding the sword of the Spirit with skill. Let’s use our words to help and to heal. Let’s bring back the language of the Bible to our every day conversations. Let’s make prayer commonplace since we are admonished to pray without ceasing. Let’s be recognized by the fruit of our lips, and just maybe, Siri and Alexa will follow suit.
“So let us never stop offering to God our praise through Jesus.
Let us talk openly about our faith in him.
Then our words will be like an offering to God.”
Hebrews 13:15 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/heb.13.15.NIRV
“Lord, may these words of my mouth please you.
And may these thoughts of my heart please you also.
You are my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14 NIRV
A Fitting Reply 