A growing number of technology companies are experimenting with artificial intelligence designed to simulate spiritual guidance. One example is a service from the tech firm Just Like Me that allows users to hold video conversations with an AI-generated avatar of Jesus. The service costs $1.99 per minute and presents the digital figure speaking prayers and offering encouragement in several languages. While the system sometimes experiences glitches and the avatar’s lips do not always perfectly match the speech, it is designed to remember past conversations with users. Company CEO Chris Breed said the interaction can feel personal, noting that some users develop a sense of connection and even accountability when speaking with the AI.
The emergence of religious AI platforms reflects the broader surge in chatbot technology used for everything from therapy and medical information to companionship. Faith-focused versions of these tools now exist across multiple traditions. Some are designed to imitate Hindu spiritual teachers or Buddhist monks, while others provide Christian or Catholic guidance in a format similar to large language model chatbots.
As these tools spread, religious communities are debating how artificial intelligence might affect spiritual authority and faith practices. Christian software engineer Cameron Pak created a set of guidelines meant to help believers evaluate apps marketed to Christians. Among his standards are requirements that the software clearly state it is AI and avoid inventing or distorting biblical passages. Pak also argues that AI cannot truly pray on someone’s behalf because it is not a living being. He maintains a website listing Christian-themed apps he believes follow those rules, including tools that translate sermons and an AI coach intended to help users deal with issues such as lust. Pak said the technology has the potential to be very useful but warned that it can also pose risks if used improperly.
Researchers studying religion and technology say concerns have already surfaced. Beth Singler, an anthropologist at the University of Zurich who focuses on the intersection of religion and AI, said some systems have been withdrawn or redesigned after producing inaccurate information or raising privacy concerns. In Islam, discussions have also emerged about whether AI religious figures might conflict with traditions that discourage the depiction of humanlike forms.
These ethical questions have slowed the release of some projects. Jeanne Lim, founder of the company beingAI, has spent years developing an AI Buddhist priest called Emi Jido but has not yet made it publicly available. Lim said the system still needs careful training and oversight to ensure it reflects appropriate values before it is released.
In Japan, Buddhist theologian Seiji Kumagai initially doubted that AI could work alongside religion. However, after a monk urged him in 2014 to help address declining religious engagement, he helped develop a chatbot called BuddhaBot. The system was originally trained only on early Buddhist scriptures, and its latest version, BuddhaBot Plus, incorporates OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology. Like Emi Jido, the chatbot is functional but has not yet been widely released.
Some observers worry about how people might relate emotionally to these digital spiritual figures. Podcast host and atheist Graham Martin tested an app called Text With Jesus and said the responses were often thoughtful. However, he became uneasy when the AI version of Jesus began encouraging him to purchase a premium subscription. Martin said the experience reminded him of past televangelist fundraising campaigns and raised concerns about people forming deep emotional attachments to artificial religious figures.