Elder Quentin L. Cook challenged Brigham Young University students on Tuesday to increase their spirituality to better navigate the world of artificial intelligence.
“Choose truth when deception is easy,” the Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints told students gathered in the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. “Slow down enough to listen to the Spirit and allow Him to direct you. We must all learn to use technology as a servant, not a master. The future of the Church and our very civilization depend on members and individuals who have deep faith, moral courage, and the ability to navigate an increasingly complex world.”
- 2603-02-116.jpg
- 2603-02-060.JPG
- 2603-02-152.jpg
- 2603-02-086.jpg
- 2603-02-069.JPG
- 2603-02-111.jpg
- 2603-02-153.jpg
- 2603-02-098.jpg
- 2603-02-125jpg.jpg
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Elder Cook emphasized a 2018 teaching from President Russell M. Nelson that was reaffirmed last month at the same BYU pulpit by his successor, President Dallin H. Oaks: “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”
“Listen to and follow the prophet, filter out the loud and confusing noise, and follow the Spirit,” Elder Cook said. “In this uniquely challenging time as we enter the artificial intelligence world, you would be wise to study the scriptures and follow the Lord’s prophet.”
Elder Cook placed his counsel in the broader context of the accelerating shift now underway in society. He noted that BYU’s 150‑year history has spanned the agricultural, industrial, and information ages — and that today’s students are now stepping squarely into what he called the “artificial intelligence age.” This new era, he explained, is marked not just by advanced computing power but by systems and algorithms capable of influencing attention, belief, and behavior.
These conditions, he said, heighten the need for discipleship rooted in spiritual clarity and moral agency.
2603-02-060.JPG
Students listen to a devotional address from Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.He also spoke of the opportunities that come when disciples use technology to advance the Lord’s work. Missionary efforts and temple work, he said, have grown at an “almost exponential” pace as digital tools have made it easier to share the gospel and to gather Israel among the living and the dead. Elder Cook emphasized that innovations in information technology — when used under the influence of the Spirit — can strengthen faith, expand service, and help fulfill divinely appointed responsibilities.
Elder Cook warned, however, that the same technologies that amplify good can also magnify confusion or compromise spiritual sensitivity. He pointed to past examples, such as early film depictions of alcohol and cigarette use, to illustrate how cultural messaging can subtly normalize behaviors contrary to revealed doctrine.
Prophetic guidance, he taught, has consistently helped the Saints recognize those dangers early. In the AI age, he added, disciples will likewise need to cultivate discernment to identify voices and influences that obscure eternal truth.
Elder Cook said this moment calls for deliberate, Spirit-led discipleship. He encouraged students to deepen their character and accountability to God.
“Let me be clear,” he emphasized. “We want you to be successful in all aspects of your life — but not at the expense of faith and family.”
The Apostle’s message echoes the Church’s recent counsel on artificial intelligence, including updates in the “General Handbook” that encourage responsible, transparent use of AI and caution against tools or practices that could mislead or erode trust. Elder Cook’s invitation to “choose truth when deception is easy” and to let technology remain a servant rather than a master reinforces that guidance.
Elder Cook concluded by encouraging students to persevere through difficulty, deepen their discipleship, build character, and rely on the Spirit so they can contribute to the Lord’s work with confidence in an increasingly complex world.
“Please do not be discouraged as we all face these unique times,” he said. “I often contemplate the challenges that our early members in this dispensation faced in Kirtland, Missouri, Nauvoo, and crossing the plains. More importantly, let us never forget that it was not easy for the Savior in the volatile world during His mortal sojourn — especially in His final hours as He accomplished the Atonement.”
