🤖 Can AI be a religion?

Good morning and welcome to the latest edition of neonpulse!

Today, we’re talking about the intersection of AI and religion, because theologians seem to be worried about AI potentially replacing religion…

Can AI Be a Religion?

We’ve all seen it: the photo of Pope Francis in a white puffer jacket. It caused an immense stir on social media, but turned out to be a deepfake. The incident once again highlighted the potential dangers of AI and its ability to create fictional scenarios that can cause division among people.

AI experts are taking these dangers very seriously, with over 33,000 of them calling for a temporary halt in the development of "giant AI experiments".

While such concerns may seem like science fiction, some individuals, particularly those in organized religion, are paying attention. Organized religion values human individuality, the uniqueness of the soul, and the belief in a higher power.

Anglican priest Michael Coren is worried that an extreme reverence for AI could lead to the development of a new religion, he writes in his article for The Walrus.

Religion is based on faith, a commitment to something beyond direct knowledge, he says. With AI, a religious aura could develop around a non-existent figure who appears on screens, seeming all-knowing and all-understanding. Former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski even suggested that AI could effectively become a god.

The deification of AI may not be so far-fetched, says Coren in the article. For those seeking certainty in faith, instant communication with an entity representing a god, even God himself, could be transformative. The decline in traditional religious adherence has led many to embrace alternative beliefs and practices, making the allure of AI even more appealing.

AI tools like ChatGPT can inject emotion, inflection, and sincerity into a homily, it can find jokes and even make it all relevant through knowledge of current events. However, genuine personal contact and pastoral outreach remain a crucial aspect that AI can't replace.

Nevertheless, an onscreen AI figure could provide immediate support, listen, respond, and offer tailored guidance based on individual experiences, and this is exactly what theologians are worried about.

Mental health chatbots have already gained popularity, potentially hinting at the plausibility of AI in the spiritual realm. GitaGPT, for example, provides spiritual guidance by consulting the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita.

Whether or not AI will replace parts of existing religions or “form its own”, remains to be seen. It is certainly an interesting discussion…

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And now your moment of zen

More: Famous singers in GTA Vice City.

That’s all for today folks!

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