An experimental art installation called "Deus in Machina" featuring an AI Jesus was set up in a confessional at St. Peter's Chapel in the historic district of Lucerne, Switzerland, on Sunday, August 25, 2024. AP Photo
A new and unusual project has emerged in Switzerland, where an AI-powered avatar of Jesus has been placed in a Catholic chapel. Known as "AI Jesus," the avatar allowed visitors to have conversations about faith, morality, and personal struggles. The two-month-long exhibit, called "Deus in Machina," was designed to explore the role of artificial intelligence in religious life and examine the boundaries of human trust in machines.
The project, which took place at Peter’s Chapel in Lucerne, invited visitors into a confessional space where they could speak with the avatar. The AI, designed to mimic a Jesus-like figure, used technology to respond to questions based on Scripture. The experiment aimed to reflect on the growing influence of artificial intelligence on human lives, even in matters of spirituality.
As part of the project, nearly 900 conversations were transcribed anonymously, with visitors sharing their thoughts on various topics such as love, the afterlife, war, suffering, and the existence of God. The AI, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o and other speech-processing technologies, was able to communicate in about 100 languages, including Chinese, English, French, and Spanish.
Philipp Haslbauer, an IT expert behind the project, explained that the AI was not designed to replace a priest or offer absolution but rather to spark deep thought about the interaction between the digital world and the divine. “The AI Jesus was not a real confessional, and it was clear to the visitors that they were speaking to a machine,” said Marco Schmid, the chapel’s theologian. Visitors were not expecting prayers or forgiveness but instead sought philosophical conversations.
The project garnered mixed reactions. Some visitors, including people of different faiths such as Catholics, agnostics, and Buddhists, engaged deeply, and many were moved by the experience. However, others were uncomfortable with the idea, with some social media reactions labeling the exhibit "blasphemous" or “the work of the devil.”
Despite the backlash, the experiment showed that people were willing to engage with an artificial being about profound spiritual questions. The conversations were often intimate and serious, with visitors discussing personal issues like loneliness, suffering, and even the church’s handling of controversial topics such as sexual abuse. Schmid noted that most participants were Catholics, though there was strong interest from other religious backgrounds, too.
Kenneth Cukier, an expert in AI and faith, stated that if projects like this help individuals connect more deeply with themselves and the world, they could have a positive impact. He cautioned, however, that over-reliance on AI in spiritual matters might pull people further away from authentic human connections and spirituality.
For now, the project is seen as an artistic experiment. Schmid, who spearheaded the initiative, emphasized that it was never meant to replace human interaction or serve as a substitute for confession. Instead, it aimed to provoke thought about the growing influence of AI and its potential in spirituality.
As for the future, Schmid indicated that while the project was a limited-time exhibit, there is interest in reviving it. He said that feedback from researchers, educators, and church leaders has been positive, and further reflections on the concept may take place before any decisions are made about the future of “AI Jesus.”
