Did you hear about that church in Switzerland? They put an AI Jesus in the confessional booth!

Yeah, I read about it! They set up an avatar of Jesus that could answer questions in over 100 languages. It was part of an experiment to see how people would interact with it.

That’s wild. So, you could, like, talk to Jesus through a screen? What did people think about it?

The reactions were mixed. Around two-thirds of the people who tried it said they had a spiritual experience, which surprised the church. But others thought it felt too artificial or even repetitive, like a fortune cookie response.

I can see how it might feel weird. Was it supposed to replace a real priest?

Not at all. The church made it clear it wasn’t a real confession and that people shouldn’t share personal information. They just wanted to see if people would talk to an AI about faith and how it might feel.

What kinds of questions did people ask? And how did it answer?

People asked about religion, Christianity, and personal struggles. The AI was trained on theological texts, so sometimes it gave thoughtful responses. But other times, the answers were vague or overly simplistic.

So, it wasn’t perfect. Did the church think it was dangerous, though? I mean, what if the AI said something wrong?

That was one of their biggest concerns. The theologian running the experiment said they couldn’t guarantee the AI wouldn’t say something inappropriate or contradictory to church teachings. That’s why they decided not to keep it permanently.

Yeah, I guess it’s risky. But it’s kind of cool that people could just walk in and talk about their faith like that.

Exactly! The experiment showed that people are curious and have a desire to engage with religion in new ways. Some even said it helped them reflect spiritually.

So, could AI like this be used for other things in religion, or was it just a one-time experiment?

The church thinks it could have potential, like as a spiritual guide for answering questions about Christianity or faith. It might also help reach people who feel shy or disconnected from traditional church settings.

But doesn’t this take something away from the human connection in faith? Isn’t that part of the whole experience?

That’s a good point. Faith is often about personal connection and empathy, which AI can’t really replicate. The theologian agreed it’s not a substitute for human leaders but said it could be a helpful tool in certain situations.

It’s definitely interesting. I guess people just want to explore faith in ways that fit their lives today.

Exactly. Whether it’s curiosity or a genuine search for meaning, experiments like this show how technology can open up new ways to engage with spirituality — as long as we use it carefully.