AI-powered chatbots play a rising position in non secular life, in keeping with a New York Times story that examines the recognition of non secular chatbots and apps.
The Occasions notes that an app referred to as Bible Chat has been downloaded greater than 30 million occasions, whereas one other app, Hallow, reached the primary spot in Apple’s App Retailer final yr.
For essentially the most half, these apps are purported to level folks to non secular doctrine and scripture to reply their questions, though at the very least one web site purports to allow users to chat with God. Rabbi Jonathan Roman prompt chatbots might be a “method into religion” for “a complete era of people that have by no means been to a church or synagogue.”
Nonetheless, these chatbots are constructed on high of AI fashions which can be designed to validate customers’ opinions, to the purpose that they will reinforce delusional or conspiratorial considering. Heidi Campbell, a Texas A&M professor who research the intersection of digital tradition and faith, warned that chatbots “inform us what we wish to hear.”
“It’s not utilizing non secular discernment, it’s utilizing information and patterns,” Campbell mentioned.
