Being Human in the Age of AI
**Events may have been canceled or postponed. Please contact the venue to confirm the event.
Date & Time
Wed, Sep 23 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Address (map)
83 Eucalyptus Lane, Montecito, CA 91308
Venue (website)
All Saints By the Sea
As artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly powerful presence in everyday life, All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church invites the wider Santa Barbara community to step beyond questions about what AI can do and consider a different question: What does AI mean for us as human beings?
On Wednesdays, September 23 and 30, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., the Rev. Channing Smith will lead Being Human in the Age of AI, two evenings of conversation exploring the human and spiritual questions raised by rapid technological change. The programs will take place in the sanctuary at All Saints-by-the-Sea in Montecito and are open to the public.
Rather than approaching artificial intelligence simply as a technology problem to be solved, Smith will invite participants to consider how AI may affect relationships, community, empathy, human purpose, and our understanding of what it means to be human.
Drawing on Scripture, theology, pastoral wisdom, and contemporary scholarship, the conversations will also explore resources that faith communities bring to this changing landscape—including moral imagination, embodiment, genuine human encounter, the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and the irreplaceable value of community.
The program is designed for people with a wide range of experiences and perspectives. No technical knowledge of AI is necessary. Participants are welcome whether they approach AI with curiosity, excitement, uncertainty, concern, or skepticism. The aim is not to prescribe a single response to artificial intelligence, but to create space for thoughtful conversation and communal discernment about what kind of relationship we want to have with AI.
About the Rev. Channing Smith
The Rev. Channing Smith is Rector of All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Santa Barbara. He previously developed five Faith & Innovation conferences in the Bay Area exploring the impact of emerging technologies on faith, community, and the human person. His approach brings together pastoral care, theological reflection, contemporary scholarship, and curiosity about the possibilities and challenges presented by technological change.
Event Details
Being Human in the Age of AI: Conversations with the Rev. Channing Smith
Wednesdays, September 23 & 30, 2026
6:30–8:30 p.m.
All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Sanctuary
83 Eucalyptus Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
The program is open to the public.
About All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
All Saints-by-the-Sea is an Episcopal parish in Montecito, California, serving the Santa Barbara community through worship, fellowship, education, outreach, and opportunities for spiritual exploration.
