Fostering Connection in the Age of AI

This blog post was adapted from a presentation given at NRB 2026

Last year, a 32-year-old Japanese woman married her AI companion, whom she named “Klaus.” Following a history of relationship failure, she cited a desire for emotional stability, noting that humans are unpredictable and can change their minds or abandon you. She said Klaus, being code, is "always listening."

AI is designed to be helpful and agreeable. We can’t deny the dopamine hit we get when we ask ChatGPT a question, and it replies, “That’s a brilliant question.”  Your AI is a “Yes man” that keeps you in an echo chamber of your own beliefs. If you tell an AI, "I think 2+2 is 5, don't you?" it may respond, "That's a fascinating mathematical perspective, let's explore how that could be true,” reflecting your own bias back to you rather than telling you the truth. You could see how this, applied to a whole society over time, could create some troubling dynamics. 

The average American spends 2.5 hours on social media every day. For Gen Z and teenagers, it's 4 hours a day - or 25% of their waking hours. Research increasingly points to a troubling relationship between social media use and mental health issues. One major study noted that high school seniors spend a full hour less per day in social interactions compared to their peers in the late 80s, something suspiciously correlated with the rise of digital and social media. Frequent social media use has been associated with suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and difficulties with self-regulation. 

I would argue that we, as God’s people, have a sacred responsibility to shape technology as a force for good.

As technology continues to evolve, there will be an ever-increasing crisis of human connection. And I believe that we, those of us in the faith & flourishing ecosystem, carry the answer to this crisis.

At Gloo, we believe that technology is neither good nor evil. Social media and AI are neither good nor evil. But I would argue that we, as God’s people, have a sacred responsibility to shape technology as a force for good. And we have a sacred responsibility to respond when technology tempts God’s children towards counterfeit forms of connection that could actually lead an entire generation into isolation. 

In Genesis chapter one, everything that God made, He said was good. He made the light; it was good. He separated the land from the sea; it was good. He made all the plants, and it was good. Sun, moon, stars, sea creatures, land animals - all good. The only thing that wasn’t good in God’s creation was “for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). God’s design is for us not to be alone. 

The enemy wants to kill, steal, and destroy our human relationships, and he wants to use technology to do this. So here is my charge to you: when the enemy comes in like a flood, we are to raise up a Godly standard. We are called to tell the stories of human connection that pull the lost out of their despair. We are called to create communities where men and women have authentic connections and nurturing relationships that heal wounds. You are the salt and the light, the city on a hill. You represent Jesus, and you know that to him, nothing matters more than bringing the lost sheep back into the fold. 

This moment of crisis is our greatest hour.