04/20/2026
The New City Tech Forum had its inaugural gathering last week at to explore Reclaiming Humanity in the Age of AI. It drew tech professionals from companies across the Triangle and many others invested in the future of artificial intelligence. Mark Sears of .ai.studio spoke to the questions that AI raises about what it means to be human — what makes us different from AI — if AI can imitate and even outpace our knowledge, language, and reasoning. AI is in many was the culmination of the Enlightenment, which says that humans are at heart rational beings, as René Descartes famously stated, “I think, therefore I am.” If this is the case, AI thinks better than we do.
We explored the distinct and ancient answers that Christianity, following Augustine, offers to these question: we are at heart loving beings, made in the image of God to love, to worship, to delight, to rest, to be formed in wisdom and virtue — or ordered loves. AI could never replace these realities of being human, which are more foundational than our reason. The church and followers of Christ therefore have the opportunity to offer the world what it has always offered: a richer, more accurate, fulfilling, and humanizing view of human life, as well as the gospel message and the spiritual practices that enable us to become truly human.
We also discussed around tables the personal and professional implications of the AI revolution, and how we can weather and thrive amidst the changes it will bring.
This gathering concludes our year of launching New City Forums. Look forward to a new program year of Forums starting this fall!
