AI-Generated Church Service Draws Hundreds in Praise

An AI-powered church service, generated almost entirely by the ChatGPT chatbot, drew hundreds of worshippers in the Bavarian town of Fuerth. ChatGPT, personified by an avatar of a bearded black man on a screen above the altar, led a 40-minute service including sermons, prayers, and music. The AI church service was developed for an experimental event at a convention of Protestants in Germany. The service including avatars on screen with sounding almost surprised by the success of the experiment. However, some worshippers looked critically, refusing to speak aloud during The Lord’s Prayer. Researchers see opportunities in the use of AI in religion, but also dangers. Concerns include the potential of AI being misused to spread only one opinion. Jonas Simmerlein, who led development of the service, said his intention was not to replace religious leaders, rather to use AI as a tool to improve their everyday work.