AI in Light of Ecclesiastes: Wisdom, Vanity, and Technology

1. Introduction: A Modern Question Through Ancient Eyes

Ecclesiastes is a book that contemplates the meaning of life amidst human striving, technological progress, and the pursuit of wisdom. Written in a pre-digital age yet timeless in its reflection, it poses questions hauntingly relevant to our AI era: What gain is there in all our toil? Can wisdom without God lead to truth? Is knowledge enough to deliver us from vanity? This article explores artificial intelligence through the philosophical and theological lens of Ecclesiastes, assessing whether our technological ascent is truly meaningful—or yet another grasp at “chasing the wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

2. Biblical and Theological Foundations

2.1 The Quest for Wisdom Under the Sun

The Teacher (Qoheleth) in Ecclesiastes pursues wisdom, wealth, work, and knowledge, only to conclude that “everything is meaningless” (hebel – vapour, vanity, futility) apart from God (Ecclesiastes 1:2). He discovers that:

Wisdom alone cannot deliver from sorrow (1:18)
Technological achievements (e.g. grand buildings, projects – 2:4–11) fail to satisfy
The pursuit of knowledge has limits—“No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun” (8:17)

Though the Teacher affirms wisdom is better than folly (2:13), he warns that it is not ultimate.

2.2 The Fear of the Lord as True Wisdom

Ecclesiastes concludes not with despair but with reverence: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (12:13). Wisdom must be anchored in godliness, not human capability. This theological framework challenges any view of AI that treats knowledge or optimisation as salvific.

3. Contemporary Application: AI as the New Wisdom Idol

In contemporary discourse, AI is often portrayed as the culmination of human intelligence—capable of replacing doctors, teachers, artists, and even theologians. It mimics aspects of what Ecclesiastes labels as chokmah (wisdom), but in reality:

AI is procedural, not contemplative—it executes, but does not ponder mortality or morality.
AI cannot grieve or worship—it lacks existential weight, central to Ecclesiastes’ reflection.
AI offers no redemption—its insights are limited to what is “under the sun”.

Like Solomon’s massive building projects and extensive learning, AI can become a monument to ourselves—impressive, but spiritually hollow.

4. Critical Evaluation: When Technology Becomes Vanity

4.1 The Illusion of Control

AI thrives on prediction, pattern, and probability. It feeds the illusion that with enough data, we can master life. Ecclesiastes dismantles this: “Time and chance happen to them all” (9:11). The unpredictability of life cannot be systematised or coded.

4.2 Ethical Overreach and Dehumanisation

Qoheleth laments injustice and oppression (4:1). When AI is used for surveillance, profit maximisation, or displacing human vocation, it risks perpetuating systemic injustice. Vanity increases when human dignity is sacrificed for efficiency.

4.3 The Emptiness of Infinite Information

Ecclesiastes 12:12 warns: “Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.” In the AI age, we now drown in information. But wisdom is not knowing more—it is fearing God and living righteously.

5. Faithful Christian Response

In light of Ecclesiastes, Christians should:

Pursue wisdom as a gift, not a machine product
Use AI, but not idolise it
Critique technology through an eternal lens—what glorifies God, what serves the neighbour
Resist techno-utopianism, remembering that all human projects without God are “hebel”

Churches must help believers interpret technological progress through Scripture, not Silicon Valley optimism.

6. Conclusion: Wisdom Beyond the Circuit Board

Ecclesiastes offers a sobering lens: no matter how advanced our tools—be it palaces or processors—our meaning is not found in what we build, but in whom we fear. AI may mirror our intelligence, but it cannot speak to our mortality, purpose, or eternity.

True wisdom begins not with data, but with reverence. Technology may shape our tools, but only God can shape our souls.