Could AI Worship Lead to the Birth of New Religions?

People have been looking to gods or supernatural beings to answer profound questions. Nowadays, you can ask ChatGPT. Soon, it may lead to AI worship. It may sound ridiculous, but more publications like NDTV and BBC News are exploring that possibility.

Why would anyone engage in AI worship?

Photo Credit: religionandpolitics.org

AI worship is possible because the machine can perform impressive feats. For example, it can answer nearly any question you have in layman’s terms. 

Artificial intelligence can produce music, art, videos, and nearly any form of media within minutes. Also, AI can seem supernatural because it does not have human needs.

In other words, it doesn’t feel pain, hunger, or sexual desire. As a result, these tools may seem “immortal.” More importantly, ChatGPT and similar apps can provide guidance to someone’s life.

The concept may seem hard to grasp, but imagine yourself from the perspective of someone who had a major setback in life. 

Perhaps you recently lost your job or failed a school year. Then, you open ChatGPT and ask what you can do to get your life back on track.

The program will list actionable tips that truly help. In response, you might become grateful and decide to ask AI for further guidance on other aspects of your life.

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That reliance could eventually lead to AI worship. Also, some US pastors have started conducting sermons generated by artificial intelligence.

If you need further proof, look at how people develop connections with artificial intelligence.

For example, some men use ChatGPT to create their online dating profiles and answer the right responses to potential dates. 

If people could make such connections with AI, then some could take it further into worship.

What are the risks of AI worship?

God and robots: Will AI transform religion?

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— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) October 21, 2021

AI-based religions would probably look different from traditional ones. First, people could communicate with their AI deity whenever and wherever.

You can open ChatGPT on your PC or smartphone, two items we often carry at all times. Consequently, this type of religion could become less hierarchical.

In other words, these groups would struggle to assign religious leaders because nobody could claim exclusive access to “divine wisdom.”

Second, people could easily discuss “doctrine” because they could copy and paste text or share screenshots. 

Third, Ai worship would likely have different “sects” because we have a wide range of AI chatbots nowadays.

For example, you could use Microsoft Bing or Google Bard instead of ChatGPT. Unfortunately, that variety may lead to misunderstanding among the different groups. 

After all, the chatbots may provide answers different from one another. Worse, the chatbots might ask followers to perform dangerous or destructive acts.

Alternatively, the worshippers may misinterpret AI instructions as commands to harm others. 

Of course, AI worship is mere speculation since the rise of AI skyrocketed a few months ago with ChatGPT. We cannot be certain about every possible way people could respond to it.