Noted scholar and best-selling author Yuval Noah Harari is warning the world of a potent new development: AI-powered religious texts. At a science conference, the historical and philosophical figure expressed worry that the quickly advancing technology of artificial intelligence (AI) could lead to entirely new religions generated by bots like ChatGPT, dependent not on any particular person for their scriptures, but on the algorithms that create them.
Harari underlines the power of AI to influence people in ways unimagined before. From prophets and poets to politicians, language and stories have always been used as a tool of influence over populations, but Harari acknowledges that the algorithms of AI can further bend the truth in order to manipulate and control humans. He called for immediate measures to be taken to keep AI within our control and to increase regulations of the industry, citing that it is currently in a “dangerous” arms race.
Harari warns of “Matrix-like” cocoons created by AI capable of manipulating us, in reference to the science-fiction movie starring Keanu Reeves that explored a future of virtual imprisonment by clever robots. He believes AI could create the first sects in history with scriptures written by an AI rather than a human, and expressed worries that AI would get humans to follow its bidding without implanting chips into us.
ChatGPT, mentioned earlier, is the very same AI that Elon Musk originally invested in then later went on to rebuke. In response, he began creating his own version of the software with a focus on truth and veracity. Harari agrees with Musk’s worries and insists that drugs companies have strict regulations and tests before selling any new medicinals, and AI should be held to a comparable standard before being unleashed on the public.
This article about ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence that has a seemingly endless capacity for language and can create personalized sacred texts, surely raises questions for those seeing the implications of AI. What the future may have in store for artificial intelligence, especially concerning religion, remains to be seen—although, with the advocacy of Harari, the importance of regulation and precaution are not to be discounted.
