With big smiles, a group of young men and women once asked Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles if he was “the real Elder Gong or the artificial AI Elder Gong,” the apostle shared in a Tuesday devotional held as part of BYU Education Week 2025.
“I am the real Elder Gong,” the apostle said he replied, following his response with a few dad jokes.
With this brief anecdote, Elder Gong set the stage for his devotional message, in which he drew from Proverbs 2:2 and discussed three “spiritual applications” of seeking wisdom and understanding as part of lifelong learning — including how to understand artificial intelligence from a gospel perspective.
“Incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding,” Elder Gong said, citing the Old Testament scripture. “We pray the Holy Ghost will inspire us in our minds and hearts, for this is the spirit of revelation.”
Understanding AI from a gospel perspective
Elder Gong discussed how “scriptural wisdom and understanding” can put the current conversation on artificial intelligence, or AI, in a gospel context.
He shared three AI-centered issues, which he addressed at the Religions for Peace World Council held in Istanbul, Turkey, last month.
“First, we can be clear and help society understand that artificial intelligence is not God and cannot be God,” Elder Gong said, adding that many talk “too glibly” about AI becoming God.
“AI cannot provide inspired divine truth or independent moral guidance,” he continued. “As a creation of God, man can create AI, but AI cannot create God.”
The other two points Elder Gong said he addressed at the July conference were that individuals can “consciously choose and intentionally use AI as a tool for good,” while leaders and citizens can “align rapid AI developments” with faith-based principles and moral values.
“Exponentially compounding AI technologies promise new ideas and new possibilities,” the apostle taught. “A faith-based community AI evaluation can champion safe and responsible, human-centric AI.”
Elder Gong then detailed the rapid growth of AI, pointing to some concerns as well as how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is inviting its members and departments to navigate them.
“One concern is for what we call ‘deepfakes,’” said Elder Gong, referring to AI-generated videos and images created to deceive or mislead. He also mentioned AI’s societal impact, digital divides and the choice some are making to have AI companions instead of human relationships.
“We are establishing protocols to guard against deepfakes,” he said, “call out intentional misuse of artificial intelligence and mitigate the tendency for people to disbelieve everything when they can’t trust some things.”
In the church, Elder Gong explained, departments are abiding by principles for church use of AI in the following four categories: spiritual connection, transparency, accountability, and privacy and security. They are also exploring AI’s practical uses, such as to facilitate church publications and language translation.
“AI may be helpful as we research, edit, translate or do similar tasks,” Elder Gong taught, but “AI cannot replace our individual effort and spiritual preparation as we prepare lessons, prayers or blessings.”
According to Elder Gong, using AI to replace individual effort will hinder the spiritual growth of Latter-day Saints and other believers.
Thus, while church leaders and members are “not afraid of artificial intelligence,” it is not the “answer to every problem.”
“As we work hard and smart, AI can be a valuable tool to enhance, but not replace our own efforts,” he said, adding that members have the “responsibility” to ensure the Holy Ghost can attest to the truth and authenticity of all they say and share.
Scriptural insights on wisdom and understanding
Elder Gong outlined a series of scriptural insights on wisdom and understanding, which he derived from having studied all 354 scriptural verses that contain the word “wisdom” and all 435 verses that contain the words “understand” or “understanding.”
The first insight he shared was that “wisdom and understanding are characteristics of God.”
“God has all power, all wisdom and all understanding,” Elder Gong said, referencing Alma 26:35 in the Book of Mormon. “He comprehendeth all things and he is a merciful being.”
Other scriptural insights Elder Gong said he gained as he looked for themes, patterns and connections in the verses he studied include:
- A warning not to confuse “man’s wisdom or understanding with that of the Lord”
- Knowing God can bless truth-seekers with wisdom and understanding
- How to seek God’s wisdom and understanding
- Knowing that when one receives divine wisdom, one can begin to see things as God does — things one would otherwise not understand
“We gain wisdom and understanding as we learn to recognize God’s voice and spirit,” Elder Gong taught. “I hope your own scripture study will deepen your wisdom and understanding.”
Knowing Christ’s blessings are meant ‘personally for you’
Elder Gong shared a recent experience he had where he was able to affirm an important truth to a young man — that Christ’s blessings and atonement are meant for each person, individually.
“Elder Gong, can I still go to heaven?” the apostle recalled the young man asking him, following a large youth devotional.
Elder Gong explained the young man was ashamed of things he had done in the past. “He wondered if there was any hope for him.”
Having listened carefully, Elder Gong said he gave the young man a “big hug,” invited him to meet with his bishop and promised him he could still go to heaven if he would trust God and repent.
“I was so grateful this good brother could realize with joy that repentance and forgiveness through Jesus Christ’s atonement can be, and are, real for him,” Elder Gong said.
“Sometimes we hear the words but deep in our hearts we need to know they can be, and are, real for us. … No matter what else you hear today, I hope you will hear that, in his time and way, every glorious blessing in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is meant personally for you.”
Elder Gong concluded with a testimony of Christ’s love for each of his children, and an invitation for listeners to incline their ears to wisdom and apply their hearts to understanding.
“May you hear, feel and know every good blessing in the fulness of the restored gospel is for you, for you personally and individually, and for those you love,” he said.
