Human Formation in a Technological Age

Who Must We Become to Flourish in a Technological Age?

Dr. Jason Owen is a computer science professor and researcher exploring how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies shape human judgment, character, education, work, faith, and flourishing.

Computer Science Professor, Researcher, and Christian Human Formation Strategist

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Dr. Jason Owen, computer science professor and researcher

01 / The central problem

Technology Is Forming Us

Most conversations about artificial intelligence focus on what machines can do. My work begins with a different question: What are these technologies doing to us?

Every tool carries assumptions about knowledge, attention, work, relationships, authority, responsibility, and the human person. Technology does not merely improve processes. It can reinforce habits, reshape judgment, alter expectations, and influence character.

The defining challenge of the AI age is therefore not only technical. It is formational.

The greatest challenge of AI is not building better machines, but forming better people.

02 / Research direction

Human Formation in a Technological Age

My research examines how people can remain capable of wisdom, virtue, responsibility, meaningful work, and authentic human judgment in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

This work brings together computer science, education, philosophy, theology, ethics, and the study of human formation.

The central question

Who must we become to flourish in a technological age?

    03 / An emerging interdisciplinary framework

    A Framework for Evaluating Technology Through Human Formation

    Technology is usually evaluated by asking whether it is faster, cheaper, more scalable, or more accurate. Those questions matter, but they are incomplete.

    A deeper evaluation asks Who will people become if this technology succeeds?
      CourageWisdomVirtueStewardshipFlourishing

      This is a developing interdisciplinary framework and research program—not a finalized scientific instrument.

      Read the research direction

      04 / The human advantage

      The Human Advantage Is Not Faster Information Processing

      Artificial intelligence can process data, detect patterns, generate language, and predict plausible outputs. Human beings possess capacities that cannot be reduced to computational efficiency.

      The human advantage lies in our ability to discern meaning, exercise judgment, accept responsibility, pursue truth, form character, love others, and direct knowledge toward the good.

      Artificial Intelligence
      Data→Pattern Recognition→Probability→Predicted Output
      Human Judgment
      Reality→Experience→Apprehension→Inference→Discernment→Assent→Action→Habit→Character

      AI can generate knowledge, but only the human person can discern how that knowledge should be used.

      05 / Current areas of inquiry

      Current Research and Writing

      A developing body of work connecting technical practice to education, philosophy, theology, ethics, and the formation of the human person.

      06 / Keynotes

      Research Brought Into Public Conversation

      Dr. Owen’s keynote presentations translate current research, classroom experience, and interdisciplinary scholarship into clear and practical ideas for universities, conferences, educators, churches, technology leaders, and organizations.

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      01

      Forming Humans in the Age of AI

      02

      What AI Cannot Teach

      03

      The Human Advantage

      04

      Building Technology That Forms People

      05

      Teaching Computer Science in the Age of AI

      06

      AI Ethics Beyond Compliance

      07

      Human Formation and the Future of Higher Education

      08

      Faithful Formation in an AI World

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      07 / Public scholarship

      Writing and Publications

      Peer-reviewed research and public writing on artificial intelligence, education, human judgment, technology ethics, and human formation.

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      Dr. Jason Owen speaking at an academic convocation

      08 / About

      A Professor Studying What Technology Is Doing to the Human Person

      Dr. Jason Owen teaches computer science, software development, project management, artificial intelligence, and technology ethics. His research explores the intersection of artificial intelligence, human formation, education, meaningful work, Christian thought, and human flourishing.

      His work is shaped by a conviction that the future of technology depends not only on what humanity is able to build, but on the kind of people we are becoming as we build it.

      About Dr. Owen