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Artificial intelligence promises to streamline tasks, automate workflows, and even make decisions on our behalf. Whereas that might sound somewhat convenient, we find ourselves facing an unexpected paradox: While AI can free up more of our time, it also tempts us to fill that time with more work.
The ancient rhythm of Sabbath rest — a practice rooted in divine wisdom — offers a countercultural lens through which to examine this tension. The real question isn’t whether AI can give us more free time, but rather: free time for what?
The tale of Genesis says that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh — not because He was weary but, commentators have always suggested, to set a pattern for human flourishing. The Sabbath is not just a break from labor; it’s a sacred pause that acknowledges our limitations and reorients us toward what truly matters: relationships, contemplation, and gratitude.
AI, by contrast, operates without limits. It doesn’t tire, doesn’t need breaks, and can process data endlessly. This capacity feeds into a cultural obsession with productivity, efficiency, and optimization. In the workplace, AI tools can analyze vast datasets, draft reports, and manage schedules faster than any human could. While this efficiency can reduce (or, at least, ease) some of our daily workload, it often leads to an expectation that we should do even more with the time we’ve “saved.”
But unlike AI, we are not limitless. We are bodies—fragile, finite, and gloriously dependent on rhythms of rest and renewal. Even an accomplished athlete can only train hard for a few hours before exhaustion sets in. Muscles need recovery time to grow. Minds need sleep to consolidate memory. Hearts need quiet to find peace. Even the breath we take is patterned: inhale, exhale, pause. Our very existence is a testimony to the beauty of limits.
