The initiative includes a $25 million investment fund to accelerate responsible AI innovation in the faith ecosystem.

BOULDER, Colo., June 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Gloo, the leading technology platform dedicated to connecting the faith ecosystem and releasing its collective might, announced a new effort, the “AI & the Church Initiative” to empower the Church to responsibly navigate and engage the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI). The AI & the Church Initiative includes multiple components including collaborative funding, events, resource hubs, content, and participation in a cross-industry working group for the responsible use of AI in ministry.

“We believe there is a moral imperative to responsibly use technology to advance human flourishing. AI is a powerful technology that should better support, not replace, relationships,” said Scott Beck CEO and co-founder of Gloo.

The initiative includes a $25 million AI investment fund to invest in efforts at the forefront of responsible AI research and development within the faith ecosystem. Gloo will partner with other aligned investors and organizations who are also seeking to advance the responsible use of AI. 

An additional component of the Gloo commitment to AI is a first-of-its-kind hackathon, an event rallying developers from across the U.S. who will come together and rapidly advance AI-based technology to serve the faith ecosystem. Slated for this fall in Boulder, Colorado, the event promises to advance groundbreaking technologies leveraging the Gloo platform, where winning creators will receive awards and acceleration from a $1 million funding pool.

Gloo will launch this month the AI & the Church Hub, which will provide a single place where leaders can access the most current AI news, events, insights, and recommended technologies from top thought leaders. The hub will be a centralized, trusted place where church leaders can stay informed on all things AI & the Church. Ministry leaders can sign up to be notified once it goes live.

Partners across technology, content, research, ministry and funding are joining the initiative to ensure that the entire Church is served well in the conversation. “Understanding what AI means for ministry is vitally important to Christian leaders and their communities. We are honored to continue Barna’s partnership with Gloo for this significant effort. They’ve purposely created an initiative in which anyone and everyone in Christian ministry can participate,” said David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna.

Some of the participating partners include David Kinnaman (Barna Group), Bobby Gruenewald and Nona Jones (YouVersion), Rob Hoskins (OneHope), Ed Stetzer (Talbot School of Theology at Biola University), Kenny Jahng (AIforChurchLeaders.com), Carey Nieuwhof, Bishop Claude Alexander (The Park Church), Tim Dalrymple and Nicole Martin (Christianity Today), Ben Elmore (Servant.io), Scott Evans (Outreach Media Group), as well as many collaborative initiatives such as AI and Faith, and others (expanded list available at gloo.us/ai).

Gloo will become part of a working group of organizations coming together to align and define standards for the appropriate use of artificial intelligence in the faith ecosystem. “As church leaders, it’s important for us to approach every new technology innovation thoughtfully and intentionally. This won’t be figured out by any one organization—it will take a concerted effort across the faith community,” said Bobby Gruenewald, CEO of YouVersion.

“Our ultimate goal is to connect and release the collective might of the Church. The AI & the Church Initiative is all about helping leaders do that,” said Steele Billings, Head of Gloo Exchange and AI Initiatives at Gloo. “We know leaders are asking how or if AI can benefit them in their ministry and in serving their communities. And most importantly, how can it help people have deeper relationships with God and one another? Whether it’s collaborative funding, new technologies, gatherings, or equipping resources, Gloo is committed to empowering church leaders to responsibly leverage AI to help fulfill their missions.”

Gloo welcomes faith leaders who are eager to help the Church drive a global conversation around the responsible use of AI. Find ways to get involved and read Gloo’s full statement at gloo.us/ai.

Gloo is the trusted platform that releases the collective might of the faith ecosystem. As a leading technology innovator, Gloo connects people, partners, world-class content, funding opportunities and more to help ministries achieve their goals and change more lives. Gloo has more than 30,000 churches using its platform and connects more than 1,000 new people to churches each day. Gloo is based in Boulder, Colorado, employing a team of more than 150 people.

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SOURCE Gloo