As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms how the world works, communicates, and even thinks, Christian technologists are asking not only what it can do, but what it should do.
Among those leading the conversation is Yvonne Carlson, chief technology officer at Global Media Outreach (GMO), a premier digital evangelism organization with over 3 billion Gospel presentations worldwide to date. For Carlson and her team, the future of Christian media is not about keeping up with innovation for its own sake; it’s about redeeming it.
Most organizations have developed policy centered around the idea of “responsible AI.” In contrast, GMO’s intentional approach focuses on “redemptive AI.”
“We cannot do as the world does,” Carlson said. “This is our moment as Christians, harnessing this amazing technology—just like we did television, just like we did radio—to do things in such a way that point people back to Christ.”
Having helped pioneer the use of Google advertising in evangelism nearly two decades ago, Carlson sees this next technological wave as a profound opportunity. GMO has approached AI not with passivity or panic, but with prayer and policy. Their framework—crafted with guidance from an internal Technology Advisory Board of theologians, ethicists, and engineers—prioritizes transparency, scriptural alignment, human oversight, audience trust, and ministry-first applications.
“We want to honor the individual as made in the image of God,” Carlson explained, “to be respectful of the human.”
Carlson says there is a “wisdom gap” between humans and the capabilities of AI. Christians are uniquely equipped to bridge this gap with the wisdom required to steward AI.
“My concern is that people will sacrifice quality for speed,” she said. While efficiency is alluring, Carlson warns against chasing productivity at the cost of spiritual depth.
“If I’ve just shortcut the whole creative process, where’s the critical thinking in that?” Carlson said. “Where is the Holy Spirit’s opportunity to think and move through you?”
Despite the powerful capabilities of AI, Carlson is clear: it must not replace human witness or spiritual discernment.
“One of the core choices we’ve made is to not replace human ministry with technology. It’s an embodied person-to-person interaction. …You can’t synthesize that using technology.”
GMO’s chatbot, named “Gabe” after the archangel Gabriel, is used to engage online seekers with Gospel conversations. Gabe begins by disclosing its identity as a bot and offers users the option to connect with a human. Carlson believes this tool strikes the right balance of maintaining transparency while implementing AI in a practical way.
“Some people are not ready to have a spiritual conversation with a human, but they are ready to ask some questions,” Carlson said.
Maintaining transparency with users also informs GMO’s reluctance to use AI-generated content as a default. Carlson recalls moments when the Holy Spirit led her to either hold back or speak a message at a specific time and place.
“If God is inspiring someone to listen or to view or to give, and the Holy Spirit has given you the message, then the Holy Spirit will prompt the hearts of the people who are supposed to hear it,” Carlson said. “If we circumvent that, then we are no different from the world. We’re just supporting a consumerist mentality.”
The technology’s potential to accelerate Scripture translation, online evangelism, and global ministry is enormous. AI has already drastically reduced the timeline for translating the Bible into every language.
“This AI moment is a Gospel moment,” Carlson said.
Kim Stiver, head of marketing at GMO, echoes that conviction: “We serve a God who is all about going after the one, …and He’ll use whatever tool or technology it takes.”
Still, she recognizes the tension many Christians feel. “There’s so much fear associated with AI—either spiritually or creatively,” Stiver said. “We have to be courageous and disciplined, and we have to be submitted to the Holy Spirit.”
Carlson’s message to fellow leaders and Christian communicators is to learn to engage with AI redemptively. That might look like forming an advisory board, crafting theology-first tech policies, resisting shortcuts for content creation, and committing first and foremost to “life-on-life” ministry.
“We’re talking about people’s eternity,” Carlson said. “I’m applying technology to bring people to Jesus, but the manner in which I build is as important as what I build.”
To read GMO’s guiding principles on employing AI-based technologies in ministry efforts, click here. For more resources and ideas on how to use AI, click here to read a recap of a recent NRB member webinar with Carlson.
Yvonne Carlson serves on the NRB Board of Directors and the NRB Digital Media Committee.