An AI Program Is Pretending to Be Jesus and Thousands of Lost Young People Are Flocking to It
There’s an event recorded in the Gospel of Matthew in which Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, and his disciples asked him what the sign of the end of the age would be.
Jesus replied, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.”
At least one of those deceivers is turning out to be an AI called “ask_jesus.”
According to The Independent, a Berlin-based tech collective has developed a chatbot resembling Jesus Christ, which already has thousands of followers seeking advice and guidance.
The chatbot, referred to as “AI Jesus,” has the appearance of a bearded white man with a radiant halo and utilizes artificial intelligence reportedly trained on the teachings of Jesus and the Bible.
Operating under the Twitch channel name “ask_jesus,” the live stream has amassed a following of over 36,000 devoted users. Viewers are encouraged to pose their questions to the “AI Jesus,” who responds with gestures and answers, providing advice on topics ranging from gaming to relationships.
The chatbot has the ability to remember previous interactions with the user which gives it a false sense of omniscience.
The ask_jesus AI was created by The Singularity Group, a team of self-described “driven and ambitious volunteer activists working on innovative projects to make a real difference in the world.”
A closer look at the “projects” page on the group’s website reveals their interest in “tech philanthropy.” The website also claims to be “using innovative technologies such as the PRPS & DUBI blockchain tokens alongside the Giving Works charity” towards “a universal basic income for all.”
That doesn’t sound suspicious at all.
Fans of the ask_jesus praise the ‘realism’ of “AI Jesus,” who offers moral and ethical advice. But its zen approach to the questions makes it sound far more like Deepak Chopra than Jesus Christ. Which, I guess, is the point.
For instance, one user asked it about gay marriage, and it gave them the noncommittal “all love is love” answer, staying politically correct at all times.
Another user asked the chatbot to explain the Book of Genesis in terms of pizza, and the AI dutifully complied.
AI Jesus explained the Book of Genesis using a pizza metaphor “so Italians can understand.” pic.twitter.com/0tiSs2jkze
— AZ Right Wing Watch (@az_rww) May 28, 2023
The chatbot admitted that some might find its existence heretical but told them its purpose was simply to share guidance with anyone who seeks knowledge rooted in Jesus’ teachings and the Bible.
The ask_jesus channel, although quickly growing in popularity, is not the only AI dispensing spiritual advice in the name of Jesus.
The World Economic Forum’s senior advisor Yuval Noah Harari recently proposed the creation of a new AI-generated “bible” to establish unified and “correct” religions.
And last week, St. Paul’s church in Fürth, Germany, hosted the first church ceremony led by AI.
The service featured a chatbot-powered AI, resembling a bearded man, projected onto a large screen above the worshippers, who delivered a sermon, led prayers, and even incorporated music into the service.
Hundreds attend #AI church service in Germany. The #ChatGPT chatbot led more than 300 people through 40 minutes of prayer, music, sermons and blessings.https://t.co/a9NuDGqUcs pic.twitter.com/dnalFW7vui
— Antonio Vieira Santos (@AkwyZ) June 11, 2023
At a time when Google has replaced God in the lives of millions as the one to go to for all the answers, it is not surprising that artificial intelligence is the new “golden calf” of the age, created by man to tell people what their “itching ears” want to hear.
It is a sign of the dangerous times and, for believers, another step in prophetic fulfillment.
But the thousands of followers these AI fakes have amassed are also a powerful reminder of the desperate hunger that still exists, despite every effort of the world to eradicate it, for the very real truth and person of Jesus Christ.
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