The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has ushered in a new era of technological progress, bringing with it both unprecedented opportunities and complex ethical dilemmas. As this technology becomes more sophisticated, there are questions about AI’s capability to mimic human cognition and even surpass it. 

For some, the rise of AI means grappling with fundamental questions about the nature of intelligence and the very essence of what it means to be human. So, how far is too far when it comes to how AI is used in today’s world?  

This article features new data from Barna’s Faith and AI research—conducted in partnership with Gloo—offering a quick glimpse at some of the ways U.S. adults and Christians are okay with seeing AI show up.

When it Comes to AI-Generated Art, U.S. Adults Largely Disapprove Already, numerous platforms and apps offer users the ability to generate art with AI. Images, voices and text are just a few of the numerous types of content that can be created with AI, and their realism sometimes rivals that of human-made art. And while almost half of U.S. adults (47%) believe AI could contribute meaningfully to creative fields such art, music or storytelling, just over one in four says “no” (27%) or is unsure (26%).

Asked how they feel about AI-generated art being treated similarly to human-made art (e.g., AI-generated art being platformed or published in ways human-made art has historically been platformed or published), U.S. adults tend to disapprove. In fact, fewer than half (44%) approve of AI-generated literature being published as a book. Even fewer support AI-generated art being displayed in a museum (39%), AI-generated music using the voices of music artists (30%) or AI-generated art imitating the style of a famous artist (29%).