Book Review- 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity by John C. Lennox

The answers to some of the most critical questions about AI, humanity, and religion are answered in 2084 by John C. Lennox.

Where did we come from and where will we go are some of the most pertinent questions of the day? The effects that the increased incorporation of AI has in our lives, the security of our homes, our political and personal freedoms, and the future of our entire species is still very uncertain. In 2084, the scientist and philosopher John Lennox introduces the readers to an ocean of ideas that revolve around the key developments in technological advancements, bioengineering, and specifically artificial intelligence. In this book, the readers will explore the current possibilities through AI, its advantages and disadvantages, the facts and the fiction, as well as the potential future implications.

John Lennox is a talented professor of mathematics at Oxford University who often ventures into the intersection of religion, humanity, and technology. He delves deep into the role of religion in the advancements of modern technology and humanity. As the title suggests, he took the cue from George Orwell's famous novel, 1984, which reflects a dystopian image of society's use of AI.

Throughout the book, he interacts with three prominent bestsellers. The first two are by Yuval Noah Harari- Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow. The third book is Origin by Dan Brown. The three books speculate about the use of AI in the future.

AI is very broadly discussed and misunderstood, but in this book, Lennox focuses on the vision of artificial general intelligence (AGI) that expects humans to construct a super-intelligent machine that expects humans to simulate equal or greater intelligence compared to humans. In the last several chapters of the book, the author attempts to provide a biblical perspective on this. He claims that machines and humans are different in multiple ways, and it will remain so.

The questions and threats posed by AI are open to all of us. This book is written to challenge all the readers whatever be their vision about religion and technology. 2084 defines the Christian worldview if properly understood, can provide several pieces of evidence and credible answers that will re-ignite the hope of a better humanity. It is a perfect piece for readers who want to explore the possibilities of religion and humanity in the future, beyond the implementations of AI.