This edition of Crucible on the subject of artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of work brings together the old and the new. Work has been with us from the beginning of time, an inevitable, inescapable part of life for human beings down the centuries, and a central means by which we have ordered our societies. Into this ancient, varied, highly adaptive form of human practice comes AI, an umbrella term for a wide variety of technologies. Many of these technologies are being used in workplace management – such as hiring, task allocation and workforce monitoring – and in programmes designed to enhance productivity and efficient documentation. The House of Commons Library, which provides policy briefings for parliamentarians, notes that whilst AI offers ‘much potential’, the use of these technologies ‘has also proved controversial and raised some important legal questions’ (House of Commons 2023). AI describes how computer systems can imitate, and perform at scale, speed and (increasingly) with skill, tasks and outputs which have typically required human involvement. We may see this as the inevitable culmination of the information technology revolution of the post-war years which brought with it digital computing and the world wide web. However, the rapid pace of change through AI shows no sign of abating; we may not have even scratched the surface. Indeed, the fourth industrial revolution can be seen in everything from the rapid development of generative AI, with its ability – when prompted – to produce text, images and sounds which mimic human creativity, to major advancements in sectors such as healthcare, science and manufacturing. Almost every aspect of our lives is subject to disruption and development as a result.

These technologies not only affect the way we work but also pose questions about the very nature of work itself. AI already enables the efficient and satisfactory completion of tasks that hitherto have required human labour. We may be moving towards a new economy where fewer of us have the requisite skills, whilst a narrow vision of growth takes hold which at its heart is about producing more goods and services whilst using fewer resources. We may find ourselves asking: ‘will our work be needed for much longer and, if not, what will that mean for our quality of life and sense of purpose?’

For Christians with concern for social ethics, these matters require careful attention, since at their heart they amount to questions of individual autonomy, collective responsibility, accountability and oversight, and ultimately the maintenance of a functioning and fair society. Almost all of us have a stake in the development of AI and its implications on the future of work, but our limited power as citizens and consumers means we do not participate on a level playing field. In an industry where the direction of travel is shaped almost exclusively by a small, privileged group, and where ‘move fast and break things’ remains a compelling mantra, the desire to test the capacity of AI to its limits, maximising consumer attention and revenues in the process, often crowds out space for consideration of moral and ethical boundaries.

Into this context, the Diocese of Oxford brought a motion (GS2320) to the General Synod of the Church of England in February 2024 on AI and the future of work. The background paper to Synod from Simon Cross reflected on the fact that the amount, type and quality of work is changing, as ‘new technology threatens to eliminate more jobs than it will replace without any process for sharing the costs and benefits equitably across society’. The motion was as follows:

That this Synod,  mindful of the deep economic effects of the pandemic, the impacts of new technology, and the global rise of new forms of working:

(a) affirm the dignity and value of purposeful work as a significant component of human flourishing

(b) endorse and commend the five principles used for evaluating fair and dignified platform work in the gig economy by Fair.work and

(c) call for the Faith and Order Commission (FAOC) together with Mission and Public Affairs Committee to advise on what is essential to purposeful, dignified, and fair work in the context of the fourth industrial revolution now in progress.

After a spirited and informed debate, Synod passed a lengthier motion with various amendments, which brought different dimensions into the scope of this work. The motion as passed encouraged parishes, benefices, dioceses, cathedrals, theological educational institutions and other CofE organisations to implement at a minimum the living wage for employees. It asked for particular advice on how the fourth industrial revolution affects the work of women. Furthermore, it encouraged further advice on biblical wisdom on work, employment and economy in its widest sense, particularly how this might interact with some of the contemporary initiatives and proposals designed to safeguard work and mitigate against the worst excesses of unfettered technology. All of this, the amended motion reads, was in order ‘to strengthen our Christian voice in the public square’.

This Crucible edition, with articles written by my colleagues within the Church of England’s Faith and Public Life Department, is not intended to address all of those important issues; each could lend itself to an edition of its own. It is offered, instead, with the intention of stimulating conversation, encouraging individual and collective discernment about the means of navigating these changing times, and of enabling us as followers of Jesus Christ to speak with more confidence and clarity about the opportunities that might present themselves – not just the challenges – to shape a common good where work is fair, purposeful and dignified for all people.

In the first article, Becky Plummer invites us to go back to first principles about the fundamental principles of work as a Christian vocation. Drawing on her insights supporting the parliamentary work of two bishops – including the lead bishop for economics and business – Plummer offers the creation narrative as a context in which to make sense of our God-given calling to care for creation through work before and after the fall. She reflects on work as a means of understanding our place as human beings in God’s created order, before exploring how past transition periods – in particular the First Industrial Revolution – have affected the landscape of work, with new professional industries created through factories and mass production. Whilst recognising its potential benefits, Plummer sets out how the fourth industrial revolution risks exacerbating in-work poverty, further undermining the social value placed on unpaid work, and eroding the important relational aspects of work which bring many people fulfilment.

In the second article, Simon Cross reflects in detail on the particular context of AI within the emergent gig economy. This relatively new sector of the workforce – by its nature flexible, dynamic, informal and precarious – creates new challenges for upholding dignity and security envisioned through a Christian understanding of good work. Whilst this flexibility and dynamism may suit some people, the exponential growth of the gig economy in recent years appears to have come at a cost. Cross outlines the resistance and evasion of regulation by those who stand to benefit from the gig economy and what he describes as characteristics of gig work: low wages, restricted rights and an unreasonable emphasis on performance-related activity. Cross expands on the Fair.work principles, which score platforms against five principles, and notes how these might relate to a biblical understanding of work in which people are fairly compensated in a timely way and are not subject to oppressive practices. If Christians are to model God’s heart for people experiencing poverty, Cross argues, this will inevitably involve drawing attention to the conditions often experienced by workers in the gig economy, and challenging the unjust structures which maintain this power and wealth imbalance.

In the third article, Kathryn Pritchard takes forward the issue added to GS2320 about the impact of the fourth industrial revolution, particularly as it relates to the work of women. There is a risk that the inequalities exacerbated by AI are disproportionately felt by women, especially where this intersects with existing inequalities within the workplace and in wider society. Offering two perspectives – one on professions and types of work with which women are especially associated, and the way AI technology intersects with this work, another on the cultural ‘gender data gap’ and the way it plays out in technology and as a result in the visibility of women’s work.  Pritchard emphasises that AI can be deployed in women’s work in better, more psychologically astute ways. She draws our attention, also, to prominent women technology leaders in this field who are modelling new and exciting ways forward. 

At its best, work is the means by which human beings can use their God-given gifts and skills, provide for themselves and their families, and feel a sense of pride and contribution as part of a collective whole. Yet whether from our own experiences or from looking at the world around us, we know that work very often falls short of this lofty vision, tainted by human frailty and imperfection. Work can be a force for good or ill depending on the context. In a similar way, we must avoid the temptation towards unalloyed optimism about the possibilities of AI and the wider fourth industrial revolution to bring about positive transformations, or – perhaps more pertinently given the current climate – dismiss the ways in which we might harness AI to serve the common good. We hope this edition acts as a modest contribution towards informing people about the issues and inviting each of us to act in such a way as to shape a fairer course.

Will Fremont-Brown is the Economics and Social Welfare Adviser for the Church of England’s Faith and Public Life Department

A Note from the Revd Dr Kathryn Pritchard 

There is much scope for the Church to engage, challenge and bring hope and new perspectives to the world of work and technology we are exploring in this special edition of Crucible. A fundamental challenge here is the way the Church understands the role of technology and its own role in public conversations about technology. ‘One of our big problems is that we want AI to be both a servant and a partner… We do what the prophets warn us about when we put AI in a position where it makes decisions for us’ (Herzfeld, 2002, p. 75). In that light, are we empowered or overpowered by novel technologies as they make inroads into our lives, including spheres of work? Derek Schuurman, Professor of Computer Science who writes about the faith-technology intersection, suggests that AI can be seen as part of ‘God’s potential in creation’ (Schuurman, 2024) — a reminder that technological innovation itself can be understood as a gift — one to be stewarded in ways that serve justice and human flourishing. The Church has a stake in this and in the way that gift is used and I hope that the areas we are discussing both will highlight pressing problems and encourage us to enter the conversation. 

The Revd Dr Kathryn Pritchard is Co-Director of Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science and works within the Church of England’s Faith and Public Life Department, helping to inform engagement with science and technology

References

General Synod of the Church of England (2024). The Future of Work. Available at gs-2320a-future-of-work.pdf (Accessed: 20 August 2025).

Herzfeld, N. L. (2023). ‘AI made in our image? Here’s why that’s a problem’, Sojourners. Available at: https://sojo.net/articles/interview/ai-made-our-image-heres-why-thats-problem (Accessed: 20 August 2025).

House of Commons Library (2023) Artificial intelligence and employment law (CBP-9817). London: House of Commons Library. Available at: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9817/CBP-9817.pdf (Accessed 20 August 2025).

Schuurman, D. C. (2024). ‘Derek Schuurman on a Reformed worldview and artificial intelligence’, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Available at: https://worship.calvin.edu/resources/articles/derek-schuurman-reformed-worldview-and-artificial-intelligence (Accessed: 20 August 2025).