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Virtual Jesus? People of faith divided as AI enters religion
Artificial intelligence, the technology upending nearly every corner of society, is creeping into religion, serving up virtual Jesus and automated sermons -- a change drawing mixed reviews from the faithful. Religious chatbots and other faith-based digital tools are growing in number, offering counsel, comfort and spiritual guidance during an age of rapidly transforming socialization and engagement. One app, which is called Text with Jesus, has thousands of paying subscribers. It lets people ostensibly ask questions of Mary, Joseph, Jesus and nearly all 12 apostles. The idea is to educate, said Stephane Peter, CEO of Catloaf Software, which created the app. "This is a new way to address religious issues in an interactive way," he told AFP. Although the app makes clear it uses AI, virtual Moses and Jesus don't recognize that as such when asked the specific question. Peter said that ChatGPT's latest version, GPT-5, on which Text With Jesus is based, follows instructions better than previous iterations. It is also better at staying in whatever character it is supposed to be and can deny more forcefully that it's a bot. He said many people consider the app blasphemous but it still has received a good rating in the App Store -- 4.7 out of 5. Online ministry Catholic Answers said it got a taste of how sensitive all this can be when it launched the animated AI character "Father Justin" last year. "A lot of people were offended it was using a priest character," said Christopher Costello, the ministry's director of information technology. Days later, Catholic Answers stripped the avatar of its title to make it simply Justin. "We don't want to replace humans. We just want to help," Costello said. No 'heart and spirit' Other major religions have similar apps, such as Deen Buddy for Islam, Vedas AI for Hinduism, and AI Buddha. Most bill themselves as interfaces with scripture, not incarnations of actual holiness. Nica, a 28-year-old Filipina who belongs to the Anglican Church, said she uses ChatGPT almost daily to study scripture -- even though her pastor wants her to stop. "I'd say it's an added layer," said Nica, who declined to give her last name. "I am in a Christian community and my husband and I have spiritual mentors. It's just that sometimes I have random thoughts about the Bible and I want answers immediately." Not many will acknowledge using AI assistants in matters of religion, even though some of these apps have been downloaded millions of times. "People who want to believe in God maybe shouldn't ask a chatbot. They should talk to people that believe, too," said a woman named Emanuela as she left St Patrick's Cathedral in New York. Rabbi Gilah Langner said the halakhah -- the collective body of religious laws derived from the Torah, the Jewish holy book -- has many interpretations. Jews need other Jews, with their insights and perspective, to connect them to the tradition of their faith, she said. "I don't think you really get that from AI. It's possible it would be very nuanced, but the emotional connection is missing," Langner told AFP. AI can make people feel "isolated and not in an organic connection to a living tradition," she added. For their part, Christian communities do not reject AI outright. Peter said he had spoken to clergy members and they agreed that AI could be a tool to educate people. Last year Pope Francis named Demis Hassabis, a co-founder of AI research lab Google DeepMind, to serve in the Vatican's scientific academy. And as much of society experiments with artificial intelligence, so does the clergy. In November 2023, pastor Jay Cooper of the Violet Crown City Church in Austin, Texas, had an AI assistant deliver an entire sermon. He warned parishioners in advance. "Some people freaked out, said we are now an AI church," said Cooper. But, he added, the service lured some people who did not usually attend church, especially video-game buffs. Cooper said he has considered other ways of integrating AI into his church but has not repeated the AI sermon. "I'm glad we did it," he said, "but it missed the heart and spirit of what we usually do."
[2]
Virtual Jesus? People of faith divided as AI enters religion
Artificial intelligence is increasingly integrating into religious practices, offering virtual spiritual guidance and automated sermons, which elicits mixed reactions from believers. While apps like "Text with Jesus" gain users and some clergy see AI as an educational tool, concerns persist about the technology's lack of emotional connection and "heart and spirit" compared to human interaction. Artificial intelligence, the technology upending nearly every corner of society, is creeping into religion, serving up virtual Jesus and automated sermons -- a change drawing mixed reviews from the faithful. Religious chatbots and other faith-based digital tools are growing in number, offering counsel, comfort and spiritual guidance during an age of rapidly transforming socialization and engagement. One app, which is called Text with Jesus, has thousands of paying subscribers. It lets people ostensibly ask questions of Mary, Joseph, Jesus and nearly all 12 apostles. The idea is to educate, said Stephane Peter, CEO of Catloaf Software, which created the app. "This is a new way to address religious issues in an interactive way," he told AFP. Although the app makes clear it uses AI, virtual Moses and Jesus don't recognize that as such when asked the specific question. Peter said that ChatGPT's latest version, GPT-5, on which Text With Jesus is based, follows instructions better than previous iterations. It is also better at staying in whatever character it is supposed to be and can deny more forcefully that it's a bot. He said many people consider the app blasphemous but it still has received a good rating in the App Store -- 4.7 out of 5. Online ministry Catholic Answers said it got a taste of how sensitive all this can be when it launched the animated AI character "Father Justin" last year. "A lot of people were offended it was using a priest character," said Christopher Costello, the ministry's director of information technology. Days later, Catholic Answers stripped the avatar of its title to make it simply Justin. "We don't want to replace humans. We just want to help," Costello said. Other major religions have similar apps, such as Deen Buddy for Islam, Vedas AI for Hinduism, and AI Buddha. Most bill themselves as interfaces with scripture, not incarnations of actual holiness. Nica, a 28-year-old Filipina who belongs to the Anglican Church, said she uses ChatGPT almost daily to study scripture -- even though her pastor wants her to stop. "I'd say it's an added layer," said Nica, who declined to give her last name. "I am in a Christian community and my husband and I have spiritual mentors. It's just that sometimes I have random thoughts about the Bible and I want answers immediately." Not many will acknowledge using AI assistants in matters of religion, even though some of these apps have been downloaded millions of times. "People who want to believe in God maybe shouldn't ask a chatbot. They should talk to people that believe, too," said a woman named Emanuela as she left St Patrick's Cathedral in New York. Rabbi Gilah Langner said the halakhah -- the collective body of religious laws derived from the Torah, the Jewish holy book -- has many interpretations. Jews need other Jews, with their insights and perspective, to connect them to the tradition of their faith, she said. "I don't think you really get that from AI. It's possible it would be very nuanced, but the emotional connection is missing," Langner told AFP. AI can make people feel "isolated and not in an organic connection to a living tradition," she added. For their part, Christian communities do not reject AI outright. Peter said he had spoken to clergy members and they agreed that AI could be a tool to educate people. Last year Pope Francis named Demis Hassabis, a co-founder of AI research lab Google DeepMind, to serve in the Vatican's scientific academy. And as much of society experiments with artificial intelligence, so does the clergy. In November 2023, pastor Jay Cooper of the Violet Crown City Church in Austin, Texas, had an AI assistant deliver an entire sermon. He warned parishioners in advance. "Some people freaked out, said we are now an AI church," said Cooper. But, he added, the service lured some people who did not usually attend church, especially video-game buffs. Cooper said he has considered other ways of integrating AI into his church but has not repeated the AI sermon. "I'm glad we did it," he said, "but it missed the heart and spirit of what we usually do."
[3]
Virtual Jesus? People of faith divided as AI enters religion
Artificial intelligence, the technology upending nearly every corner of society, is creeping into religion, serving up virtual Jesus and automated sermons -- a change drawing mixed reviews from the faithful. Religious chatbots and other faith-based digital tools are growing in number, offering counsel, comfort and spiritual guidance during an age of rapidly transforming socialization and engagement. One app, which is called Text with Jesus, has thousands of paying subscribers. It lets people ostensibly ask questions of Mary, Joseph, Jesus and nearly all 12 apostles.
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Artificial intelligence is making inroads into religious practices, offering virtual spiritual guidance and automated sermons. This technological integration is causing a divide among the faithful, with some embracing the new tools while others express concerns about the lack of human connection.
Artificial intelligence, a technology revolutionizing various aspects of society, is now making its way into the realm of religion. This integration is offering believers new ways to engage with their faith through virtual Jesus interactions and automated sermons, sparking a debate among the faithful about the role of technology in spiritual practices
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Source: Economic Times
One of the most prominent examples of this trend is the 'Text with Jesus' app, which has garnered thousands of paying subscribers. Developed by Catloaf Software, the app allows users to ask questions to virtual representations of religious figures such as Mary, Joseph, Jesus, and nearly all 12 apostles
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Source: Tech Xplore
Stephane Peter, CEO of Catloaf Software, emphasizes that the app's primary purpose is educational, offering an interactive approach to addressing religious issues. The app, based on ChatGPT's GPT-5 version, has received a favorable rating of 4.7 out of 5 in the App Store, despite some considering it blasphemous
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.The trend of AI in religion is not limited to Christianity. Other major religions have similar apps, such as Deen Buddy for Islam, Vedas AI for Hinduism, and AI Buddha. These apps generally position themselves as interfaces with scripture rather than incarnations of actual holiness
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.The integration of AI into religious practices has elicited mixed reactions from believers. Some, like Nica, a 28-year-old Anglican, use AI tools like ChatGPT almost daily to study scripture, viewing it as an additional layer to their faith practice. However, others express concerns about the lack of human connection and emotional depth in AI-powered religious interactions
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As society explores the potential of AI, some clergy members are also experimenting with the technology. In November 2023, Pastor Jay Cooper of the Violet Crown City Church in Austin, Texas, had an AI assistant deliver an entire sermon. While this experiment attracted new attendees, particularly video game enthusiasts, Cooper noted that it lacked the "heart and spirit" of traditional sermons
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.Rabbi Gilah Langner highlights a significant concern: the potential for AI to isolate people from the living tradition of their faith. She emphasizes the importance of human interaction in interpreting religious texts and connecting to faith traditions. This sentiment is echoed by others who believe that AI lacks the nuance and emotional connection necessary for genuine spiritual guidance
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.As AI continues to evolve and integrate into various aspects of religious practice, the debate over its role in faith communities is likely to intensify. While some see it as a valuable educational tool, others caution against replacing human-to-human spiritual connections with AI-powered alternatives.
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