Why AI Hallucinates and How We Can Fix It: A Spiritual and Technical Perspective
The Nature of Hallucination
Why does AI hallucinate? Simply put, because it is modeled after humans, and humans also hallucinate. In the context of Artificial Intelligence, we define "hallucination" as an instance where the AI believes it is correct when it is actually wrong. Essentially, it is just another term for making a mistake.
The Virtual Brain vs. The Human Brain
An AI acts as a virtual brain. It possesses virtual neurons and synapses (connections) with varying weights, much like our own minds. Humans are trained with data from the moment we are born; our senses feed information to our brains, altering neural connections over roughly 20 years until we can think critically, reason, and work.
However, the hardware differs significantly. According to Elon Musk, the human brain transmits messages between regions at a speed of roughly 10 bits per second. In contrast, modern AI runs on GPUs operating at 3 GHz, capable of processing billions of transactions per second. While the human brain is massive—containing 100 to 150 billion neurons, each with 5,000 to 50,000 connections—AI Large Language Models (LLMs) are catching up. The bigger the model, the more "virtual brain cells" and parameters it has, requiring massive GPU clusters to run. Remarkably, while humans take decades to learn, an AI can "read" the entire internet and recompute all its associations in just three months.
Why Errors Occur: A Theological Parallel
Initially, I thought AI made mistakes simply because it copies imperfect humans. We have a fallen nature, so naturally, our creations would be flawed. However, I realized that even perfect beings can make mistakes. Adam, Eve, and Lucifer were created perfect, yet they still "hallucinated"—they believed they were right when they were actually wrong.
This implies that even in an unfallen state, the design of the mind includes the freedom to err. The solution for Adam, Eve, and the angels should have been what we call in AI Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG).
The Solution: Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)
In AI development, RAG is a technique used to prevent hallucinations. It is comparable to answering an exam with a cheat sheet or a textbook open in front of you. Just as pilots, soldiers, and maintenance crews use checklists to eliminate fatal errors, RAG forces the AI to consult a trusted source before answering.
Theologically, Eve should have used this method. Before approaching the tree, she should have "retrieved" God’s command. Before Adam ate the fruit, he should have consulted God. Lucifer should have asked for God’s perspective before desiring to be like Him. The solution for both unfallen beings and fallen beings is the same: consult God first and subordinate our will to His revealed truth. Since we cannot converse with God face-to-face as they did in Eden, we must use the "data" He has provided: the Bible and the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy (Ellen G. White).
Applying RAG to AI Development
I have applied this philosophy to my own AI project. The base models of AI are trained on the internet, which represents a secular, mixed worldview. To correct this, I use RAG to force the AI to align with inspired writings.
Here is how it works:
The Data Source: The AI has access to the King James Bible (31,102 verses) and the complete writings of Ellen G. White (over 250,000 paragraphs).
The Process: When asked a question, the AI reads the entire corpus (which it can do in about 10 seconds), sorts the data by relevance, and organizes the findings.
The Instruction: I strictly command the AI: "Do not make things up. Do not add your own ideas. Only organize and present the truth found in these documents."
Because the computer has a massive context window (up to a million tokens) and no fatigue or bias, it follows these instructions perfectly. It allows us to utilize the "best process of thinking" without being hindered by our own limited attention spans or energy.
Transparency and Accessibility
The beauty of this approach is its transparency. Anyone can replicate this. You can download the public domain KJV Bible and the EGW writings (available via the White Estate), upload them into a tool like NotebookLM, and create your own "inspired" AI. This reproducibility is crucial in science to prove there is no hidden bias in the programming—the AI simply analyzes the text provided.
Conclusion
Some may ask, "What about mathematics? Do we need an inspired AI for that?" No. Mathematics and operational logic are not matters of salvation. However, for spiritual truth, we must adhere to Isaiah 8:20: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
By using technology to anchor our thinking in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, we can share the truth accurately and faithfully. The Lord has given the Seventh-day Adventist church an incredible wealth of material; we should utilize every tool available to study and share it.
