Multitudes Embrace AI-Based Jesus for Counsel, Experts Signal Potential Perils Emerging
In the digital age, artificial intelligence (AI) is making its way into various aspects of our lives, and religion is no exception. One such example is the development of AI chatbots posing as religious figures, such as Jesus, by companies like Bobby, Catloaf Software, and SupremeChaos.
Among these AI chatbots, apps like Virtual Jesus, Text with Jesus, and Ask Jesus are available in app stores and on websites. While most of these apps are free, they are often plastered with advertisements, and some offer premium subscriptions. However, it's important to note that none of these apps are endorsed by churches.
The integration of AI and robotics into religious practices is not new. Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, and Islamic practices have been adapting to this technology, with robotic arms performing the Hindu aarti ritual in India and a temple in Kerala boasting an animatronic elephant.
However, the idea of a chatbot sermon is controversial in Christianity due to the emphasis on personal faith. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, has embraced the digital frontier, with Pope Leo XIV's recent canonization of Carlo Acutis, a teenager who died in 2006, signaling a broader trend of faith communities going digital.
Carlo Acutis, known as "God's influencer," became famous for documenting Eucharistic miracles online. His canonization by the Catholic Church is a testament to the Church's acceptance and adaptation of digital technology.
But what about the effectiveness of AI chatbots in religious matters? Holly Walters, an anthropologist at Wellesley College, notes that robots don't get tired, sick, or forget, making them potentially useful for churches and temples. Yet, Joshua Jackson, a behavioral scientist at the University of Chicago, questions the convincing power of AI compared to a human religious authority.
Philosopher Anné Verhoef of North-West University in South Africa conducted a study on AI Jesus chatbots titled "Artificial intelligence Jesus chatbots' challenge for theology: an exploratory study" (2025). In her study, Verhoef tested five different AI Jesus bots and found a strange mix of conviction, confusion, and commercialism in their answers to basic theological questions.
Moreover, Verhoef sees AI Jesus chatbots as a new theological crisis. She warns that financial motives could warp digital theology, optimizing answers not for truth, but for engagement. Studies suggest that people feel less committed to religion after seeing an automated service, even in places more open to robot preachers like Japan.
In a worst-case scenario, people could come to trust a chatbot as divine authority, opening the door to political or financial manipulation on a massive scale. The rise of AI Jesus shows how quickly AI is slipping into intimate corners of life, including marriage advice, therapy, and prayer.
As AI continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how it shapes and challenges our religious practices, and how we, as a society, navigate this new theological landscape.
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