#94 - Faith and AI with Yvonne Carlson

In this episode of Ministry at Scale, host Chad Williams interviews Yvonne Carlson, the Chief Technology Officer at Global Media Outreach (GMO) and co-director of the Missional AI Conference. Together, they explore the intersection of technology, faith, and the transformative potential of AI in ministry.Key TakeawaysYvonne’s Journey: From childhood curiosity in her father's garage to becoming a CTO, Yvonne discusses how her passion for technology and missions led her to GMO.The GMO AI Strategy: Yvonne emphasizes starting with vision and mission over technical questions, detailing how GMO developed an AI task force and a white paper to guide their approach.Human-First AI Policy: The conversation dives into GMO's foundational commitments, which include biblical alignment, transparency, and keeping a "human in the loop" to enhance—not replace—human ministry.Practical AI Use Cases: Yvonne shares real-world examples of AI in action, from data analysis and finance to grant writing and personalizing outreach, illustrating how it frees up missionaries for deeper discipleship.Security & Ethics: A critical look at the risks of AI, including data privacy (PII) and the importance of using secure, private AI environments rather than free, public tools.The Future of Missional AI: An invitation to the Missional AI Conference in San Jose, featuring experts like Dr. John Lennox and Pat Gelsinger, to discuss the theological and practical implications of AI.Be sure to listen to the full episode.Resources:Missional.aiYvonne’s LinkedInPractical AI Podcast