In the summer of 2023, an experimental church service in Bavaria, Germany, captured the world’s attention as robots, powered by AI, delivered sermons to a congregation of about 300 worshippers. The event left many questioning whether AI could truly replace human priests and pastoral instruction, with one attendee noting, “There was no heart and no soul.”
However, this bold foray into AI-generated worship services has sparked interest and concern, as it raises questions about the impact of technology on religious life. Amidst these discussions, a new perspective emerges, shedding light on the significant role that religious leaders continue to play in the development and integration of AI in religious practices.
Clergy’s Endorsement of AI One key aspect that often goes overlooked in the AI discourse is the crucial role of religious leaders in endorsing and affirming AI’s use in religious contexts. Throughout history, priests have acted as gatekeepers, guiding their congregations in embracing new technologies. In 2015, a notable example unfolded in China when the master priest of the Buddhist Longquan Temple in Beijing embraced the adoption of Xian’er, a robot monk, as a means of spiritual engagement. The priest dismissed claims that religious AI was sacrilegious and saw innovation in AI as spiritually aligned with religious values. He actively encouraged the incorporation of AI into religious practices to enhance believers’ spiritual experiences.
Similarly, in 2019, the head priest of the Kodai-ji Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan, introduced an adult-sized android named “Kannon Mindar,” capable of preaching the Heart Sutra, a revered Buddhist scripture. This $1 million robotic deity was developed in partnership with Osaka University to bridge the gap between religious seekers and Buddhist teachings. By naming and endorsing AI’s use in religious life, religious leaders exert significant influence in shaping the development and application of AI in spiritual practices.
AI in daily lives
Directing Human-Machine Communication Today, AI plays an increasingly invisible yet critical role in our daily lives. Many are unaware of the extent to which AI is integrated, from customer service chatbots to personalized product recommendations. However, human decision-making and judgment remain pivotal in AI’s operations, particularly in providing feedback for reinforcement learning and interface design. An example of this dynamic can be seen at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia, where multilingual robots are deployed for various purposes, including answering questions related to ritual performances in 11 languages.
While these robots at the Grand Mosque are capable of reciting the Holy Quran, they also facilitate connections between visitors and local imams. Equipped with touch-screen interfaces featuring barcodes, these robots allow users to access information about mosque staff’s weekly schedules, including the clerics who deliver Friday sermons.
Moreover, these robots can initiate video interactions connecting visitors with Islamic scholars, providing answers to their inquiries around the clock. This demonstrates that while robots can serve as valuable sources of religious knowledge, the deliberate redirection of queries to established religious leaders reinforces the credibility of priestly authority in the digital age.
Creating Ethical Guidelines for AI Another vital role that religious leaders are increasingly undertaking is the creation and dissemination of ethical guidelines for AI in religious contexts. Prominent religious figures, such as Pope Francis, have been vocal in addressing the potential benefits and disruptive dangers of new AI technologies. The Vatican has hosted technology industry leaders and called for ethical guidelines to safeguard human well-being and vigilance against technology misuse.
In June 2023, the Vatican’s culture and education body, in partnership with Santa Clara University, released a comprehensive 140-page AI ethics handbook tailored for technology organizations. This handbook emphasizes the importance of embedding moral ideals in AI development, including the respect for human dignity and rights in areas like data privacy, machine learning, and facial recognition technologies. By taking the initiative to create and share ethical guidelines for AI, religious leaders are actively shaping the future of AI development, guiding its design and implementation toward cherished values.
