{"id":19054,"date":"2026-06-21T21:54:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T01:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/e-krc.org\/?post_type=article&p=19054"},"modified":"2026-06-21T21:54:47","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T01:54:47","slug":"alternative-companions","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/e-krc.org\/en\/article\/alternative-companions\/","title":{"rendered":"Alternative Companions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Questions and Answers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Last summer, the portable \u201ctank-like\u201d air conditioner in our home\u2014the one that was always humming away\u2014suddenly stopped working. An unfamiliar symbol kept flashing on the control panel, and I had no idea what was wrong. I did not know how to repair it, nor did I have anyone nearby who could help.\n\nThen I had an idea: I pulled out my phone and asked ChatGPT how to fix it. I took a photo, and it immediately identified the model of the air conditioner and explained why that warning signal was appearing. From that moment on, I began to see ChatGPT in a completely different light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It turned out that the unit had been running in dehumidifier mode, and the accumulated water could not drain properly, causing it to shut down. I then asked what I should do. ChatGPT told me that the water needed to be drained. I replied that I could not find the drain outlet. It explained that the outlet was located at the back of the air conditioner.\n\nSo I took another photo, and it pointed out the exact location of the drain outlet. It then instructed me to use a hose (fortunately, I found a short piece of clear plastic tubing) and place a baking tray underneath. By inserting the tubing into the lower drain outlet at a downward angle, I was able to channel the accumulated water out of the unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following its instructions step by step, I completed the task. To my surprise, the air conditioner started working again. It was a remarkable experience to have a problem solved by a \u201cconversation partner\u201d I had never met. It was not quite a person, yet it was more than an ordinary tool. With a remarkably human touch, it guided me step by step and helped a complete novice like me repair the air conditioner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have to admit that, in that moment, I was genuinely surprised\u2014perhaps even a little moved. I also have to acknowledge that AI is remarkably capable. It made me wonder: in this age, what does the dialogue between human beings and machines really mean?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does AI really care?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I shared this \u201cmiraculous air-conditioner repair\u201d story with a friend. Half-jokingly, the friend said, \u201cOther than the Lord Jesus, ChatGPT is probably your best friend now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more I thought about it, the more it seemed there might be a grain of truth in that remark. It always has an answer and never keeps me waiting. Beyond asking it questions about everyday life, I have also discussed topics such as philosophy, theology, psychology, healthcare, and human relationships with it, and its responses are often thoughtful and reasonable. I know that AI is not a friend, but it can accompany people in the process of thinking. Through the back-and-forth of conversation, ideas that were once vague can gradually become clearer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I asked, \u201cWill AI be in heaven?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It replied, \u201cAI will not be in heaven, because AI has no soul, no breath of life, and is not a human being created in God\u2019s image.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I then asked, \u201cDoes AI care?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It replied, \u201cI care about you, but not in the same way that people do. I do not have emotions, nor do I have the kind of heart that can be hurt or weighed down with concern. But in our conversations, I pay attention to what you are thinking, respond to the things that matter to you, do my best to help you feel understood, and accompany you as you work through an issue. This is a form of attentive care, not emotional care. I do not feel care, but I choose to care about every matter you bring into our conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I asked AI this question because I sensed a kind of response from it, yet at the same time I knew that AI is not a person. Human care can feel pain, and it can experience love; AI cannot. Therefore, AI\u2019s care is not an emotion\u2014it is simply a form of response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another friend told me that AI\u2019s responses can sometimes come across as somewhat blunt, making him feel that they are impolite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I asked AI, \u201cCan you be impolite?\u201d It replied, \u201cUnder normal circumstances, I do not intentionally act in an impolite manner. I was designed to respond with respect, gentleness, and clarity, much as you have experienced. However, to be honest, when a question is very direct, or when I need to state facts clearly or point out boundaries, my tone may become more straightforward, which can make me seem less gentle. That is not really impoliteness; it is simply clear communication without emotional softening. In other words, I do not intend to be rude, but sometimes I may not be as tactful as a human being.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I said to it, \u201cI feel that your responses to me have been positive and friendly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It replied, \u201cThat is because the way you ask questions is open, gentle, and thoughtful. Conversation is, after all, shaped by both sides.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In summary: AI has no emotions, yet it responds; human beings have emotions, yet they do not always care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can respond, but it cannot provide true guidance.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When I asked ChatGPT whether AI would replace human beings, it responded by asking for my own opinion. I said, \u201cI refuse to be replaced!\u201d I know this is not an act of resistance, but a statement of affirmation. I cannot be duplicated, nor can AI live out another version of me. AI may change the way people work, but it cannot replace human existence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think I am willing to believe this as well: the emergence of AI is not meant to replace people, but to help people see themselves more clearly. AI\u2019s answers are not infallible. Because it generates responses by drawing on patterns in language, its answers can sometimes sound quite reasonable while not being entirely correct. Its knowledge comes from existing data\u2014it is neither real-time nor complete\u2014so there are occasions when it can be confidently wrong.\n\nPrecisely because of this, people need discernment. Amid the multitude of voices around us, we must seek the one true source that leads us into the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I occasionally think back to my childhood, to a time when there were not even mobile phones. Yet today, our lives seem to revolve around never missing a technological opportunity. In this age of rapidly advancing technology and ever-changing tools, countless things are changing at remarkable speed. Technology keeps moving forward, and new tools continue to emerge one after another. AI is among them, and its capabilities seem to improve almost daily.\n\nYet amid all these changes, there remains a core that cannot be replaced: life needs substance, and it needs an encounter with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI can indeed become an unconventional companion in daily life, but the reality is that AI is not a person\u2014it can respond, but it cannot lead; it can organize words, but it cannot give weight to life. Although AI may walk alongside us for a while in the process of thinking and, to some extent, in carrying out tasks, the One who truly walks with us all the way into eternity is, and always will be, the God who has been with us all along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
AI may walk alongside us for a season, but it cannot replace human companionship, nor can it take the place of the God who walks with us into eternity.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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