Chatting with Gods: How AI is Becoming the New Spiritual Guide

Across India and other countries, people are turning to artificial intelligence, or AI, to help them with religious worship and spiritual questions. AI chatbots, which are computer programs that can have conversations with people, are being designed to answer questions about holy books and religious teachings. One popular chatbot is GitaGPT, which is trained on the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text. Vijay Meel, a 25-year-old student from Rajasthan, used GitaGPT when he was feeling down after failing his banking exams. The chatbot gave him advice from the Gita, telling him to focus on his actions and not worry about the results. This helped Vijay feel motivated to start studying again, and now he chats with GitaGPT regularly for support.

AI is changing many parts of life, including how people pray and connect with their faith. In Hinduism, people are used to seeing gods in physical forms like statues, so using technology to interact with gods is not a big leap. Holly Walters, an anthropologist, says that for many people, talking to an AI about God is a way to feel connected to their community and spirituality. Other religions are also experimenting with AI, such as Text With Jesus for Christians and QuranGPT for Muslims. Some people have even started new religions based on AI. In Hinduism, technology is becoming another way for gods to be present in daily life. Temples are using robots to perform rituals, and chatbots are helping people learn about different gods and scriptures.

However, there are concerns about using AI for religious purposes. AI chatbots can sometimes make mistakes or give advice that is not accurate. For example, GitaGPT once gave a response that upset people, so its creator made changes to prevent similar mistakes. Experts warn that AI chatbots only reflect the information they are trained on, which means their answers can be biased or incorrect. In India, where many people may not be familiar with technology, there is a risk that users might believe the chatbot is truly speaking for God. Despite these concerns, many people find AI chatbots helpful for learning about their religion and getting advice. Chatbots can offer guidance backed by scripture and make it easier for people to connect with their faith, especially when it is hard to talk to religious leaders in person.