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Artificial intelligence (AI), a technology that is quickly changing nearly every aspect of life, is now entering the realm of religion by creating virtual versions of Jesus and generating automated sermons, sparking mixed reactions among believers.
The number of religious chatbots and other faith-related digital tools continues to rise, offering guidance, solace, and spiritual advice during a time of rapidly changing social interactions and engagement.
One app, called Text with Jesus, boasts thousands of paying users, allowing individuals to ask questions of figures like Mary, Joseph, Jesus, and nearly all of the 12 apostles.
The intention is educational, according to Stephane Peter, CEO of Catloaf Software, which developed the app. “This is a new way to address religious issues in an interactive way,” he told AFP.
While the app clearly states that it employs AI, the virtual figures of Moses and Jesus do not recognise this when presented with the specific query.
Peter said that the latest version of ChatGPT, GPT-5, which serves as the foundation for Text With Jesus, adheres to guidelines more effectively than earlier versions. Additionally, it excels at maintaining character consistency and can assert itself more convincingly as not a bot.
Although many view the app as inappropriate, it has still managed to achieve a favourable 4.7 out of 5 rating on the App Store.
Online ministry Catholic Answers encountered the sensitive nature of this issue when it introduced an animated AI character named “Father Justin” last year, only to remove the title shortly after.
“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, making it simply “Justin.”
Similar applications exist within other major religions, such as Deen Buddy for Islam, Vedas AI for Hinduism, and AI Buddha, with most positioning themselves as tools for engaging with scripture rather than embodiments of true holiness.
Nica, a 28-year-old Filipina member of the Anglican Church, says that she uses ChatGPT nearly every day for scripture study, despite her pastor’s request that she stop.
Last year, Pope Francis appointed Demis Hassabis, a co-founder of the AI research lab Google DeepMind, to the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences. As society explores the possibilities of artificial intelligence, the clergy is also experimenting with it.
In November 2023, Pastor Jay Cooper of the Violet Crown City Church in Austin, Texas, had an AI assistant deliver an entire sermon, having informed his congregation beforehand.
“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 added that he has contemplated various ways to incorporate AI into his church, but has not repeated the AI-sourced sermon since.
