“The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. He cut down cedars or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.” (Isaiah 44:13-17)
Isaiah mocks those who take metal and wood and make themselves a ‘god’ that can neither hear their prayers nor speak to them. Such idols are sightless and helpless. We live in a culture and time that understands the absurdity of making ‘gods’ in our image. We understand that man-made deities have no divinity and cannot save us. Don’t we? We are computer-literate and smarter than that. Aren’t we??
Professor Anné Verhoef, a philosopher and director of the AI Hub at North-West University in South Africa, has been studying the contemporary phenomenon of AI-generated ‘Jesus’ chatbots. It seems that our generation has replaced metal and wood with codes and pixels. Prof Verhoef has examined and tested five of the most popular and most-subscribed Jesus chatbots: AI Jesus, Virtual Jesus, Jesus AI, Text with Jesus, and Ask Jesus. He asked each one the same six questions. Two of the chatbots (Jesus AI and Ask Jesus) presented themselves as Jesus – the actual Jesus, the Son of God. The other three ‘confess’ that they are AI-generated.
Verhoef’s research concludes that none of the AI versions are produced or endorsed by any Christian denomination. All are created by for-profit companies and come complete with advertising. Though free to use, Text with Jesus also offers annual and ‘lifetime’ subscription options “for unlimited access and an ad-free experience.” The Ask Jesus website boasted 30,000 new users within the three days’ of Verhoef’s research. The ‘theology’ of these AI Jesus’ adapts to a user’s search algorithms and is obviously designed to evolve. But what ‘version’ of Jesus is being created? Verhoef says these AI creations “can come across as extremely convincing in intellect, word, sound and image.” Clearly though the lines between reality and fantasy can become blurred here. The challenges are immense and obvious. How do we communicate an accurate and relevant faith in the real Jesus in this rapidly developing context?
[www.pressreader.com/philippines/business-world/20250820/281676851006150 if you’d like to know more about Verhoef’s study]