How Religions View Artificial Intelligence
A look at how religions view AI in their belief systems and why this is important in the development of AI.
The use of Generative AI (GAI) is having a profound impact on religions around the world and it’s important to understand as religions play a significant role in all cultures. From chatbots that act as a spiritual guide to sermons delivered by AI.
Given the significant role of religion in our societies and how pervasive GAI tools are becoming in our societies, understanding how religions are viewing, using and adopting GAI can help us understand the moral and ethical implications of GAI in our world, and perhaps play a key role in how AI evolves in our societies.
GAI tools can enhance religious beliefs and practices and also challenge our notion of human exceptionalism and perhaps even lead to the formation of new religions. One successful Silicon Valley entrepreneur is creating a church known as Way of the Future (WOTF.) There is some discussion that AI too may fundamentally change the major religions of the world; Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism. Indigenous peoples too are weighing on AI and it’s tole with their belief systems.
Debates, discussions and theories are buzzing across all religions, with, as one would expect, some going all in and others steadfastly against any role of AI in a religion.
While we are unlikely to know when religion started exactly or which was the first one, we now have some evidence that religion or some form of spirituality was practiced by our hunter-gatherer ancestors. There’s even some speculation that Neanderthals had some religious practices and anthropologists are seeing signs of burial rituals with pre-hominids.
There are even theories emerging that the human brain is wired for God (not necessarily in the Abrahamic belief.) Some neuroscientists theorize that we have in our brains what they term as the “God spout” a brain circuit for spirituality that is very ancient indeed.
It is theorised in anthropology and sociology that one of the reasons humans created religion was it’s role in helping us unite as social groups and to understand the world around us. Stories are an important aspect of religion and of how we make sense of the world and share our individual realities to find common ground.
GAI tools can tell stories too. They’re mixes and mashes of what humans have already created and cannot invent new stories really, but they can do it in such a way that some may believe the AI tool, or chatbot, is creating something entirely new. And if we believe that to be so, such as those who believe conspiracy theories, then that can become ones reality. Once that becomes so, it is very hard to change a persons mind.
So one begins to see why it’s important to discuss, debate and understand AI and religion. Whether or not one is religious, agnostic or atheist, the role of AI in religion is of immense importance as AI evolves. Religion is an important aspect not just of culture but the very meaning of being human.
Should we ever create AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), which is highly unlikely, some speculate that it could see itself as a god or behave in such a manner. Another facet to consider.
There is also the issue of how people may form relationships with religious chatbots. Is this healthy? What are the challenges relating to mental health, possible religious radicalization or what happens when the chatbot is shut down and no longer available? This is already a concern regarding non-religious use of chatbots and para-social relationships.
In Judaism, the prevailing view around AI is that it should be used in a way that promotes social equality and be used in a way that benefits society as a whole.
For Christianity, it too wants AI to be used for the good of humanity, also having concerns around the creation of false idols and idolatry in the theological context.
Views and ideas of the use of AI in Buddhism is a hot topic of discussion. As with other religions, it too wants the use to be good for humanity. The common thread. Buddhism also sees AI as a question of the human mind, of consciousness and identity.
In the Islamic faith, there too is much debate with the primary concern being it’s use for the good of humanity. Much of Islam’s focus is around if AI can even be considered sentient and how it fits in with Islamic law.
In Hinduism, the perspective may be that of the impact or role of AI with regard to ones duty (dharma) and actions (karma) along with it’s impact on society as a whole.
In Canada, the Indigenous peoples are looking at AI from the context of not just the benefits to humanity, but how it impacts inclusivity and the epistemology (ways of knowing) around their belief systems and culture.
I’m summarizing here and hopefully respecting various religions along the way. This is yet another reason that the development of AI technologies should involve the humanities such as anthropology, sociology and psychology. The results will be a much more human-centric approach and technology that is less likely to result in breaking a lot of things.
You might be thinking that this is challenging because there’s so much religious divide and anger in the world right now. Not really. There’s greater dialogue and cross-communication between religions than ever before in human history. Interfaith dialogue has never been so strong. Much of it enabled by information technologies such as social media.
The divisions that we do see are quite minor in comparison and tend to be driven by extremist elements of religions and the conflicts surrounding them. All the major religions are having their own internal discussions on the role and place of AI, but they are also sharing and discussing with one another. And they will have an influence on the development of AI into the future.