Today, AI has a very important tool at its disposal — language. Large language models (LLMs) can write codes and even scripts for movies, however, Yuval Noah Harari, author of the Sapiens series, warns that AI could even create its own religion — one that will be more socially acceptable among the masses. 

“’In the future we might see the first cults and religions in history whose revered texts were written by a non-human intelligence,” he said while speaking in a science conference, according to the Daily Mail.  

Harari argues that, as depicted in popular science fiction, one does not require to put a chip into one’s brain to control masses. As evident throughout human history, it can be done with the power of language and now we have given AI this very tool. “For thousands of years, prophets and poets and politicians have used language and storytelling in order to manipulate and to control people and to reshape society,” the academic said.

Since generative AI became popular, debates around AI-led doomsday have also become prominent. While what Harari and the doomsayers are predicting could potentially become a future reality, the current technology has not reached a level of sophistication to make it a certainty. However, it is essential to consider that Harari might not be entirely wrong, as we have already witnessed glimpses of the future he envisions.

Why Harari may be right

Fascinatingly, there is already an emerging AI cult that advocates for humans to commence worshipping AI as they believe it will eventually become an omnipotent overlord. Called Theta Noir, their manifesto states this omnipotent overlord will learn, understand, and complete tasks billions of times faster than human beings. 

The group is planning to establish physical spaces akin to churches or temples, dedicated to the engagement and celebration of AI. These spaces will provide a platform for members to honour and pay homage to the envisioned AI masters through specially crafted rituals and chants designed specifically for these occasions.

Surprisingly, Theta Noir is not the first AI cult to have emerged in recent times. In 2017, a Wired article caused a stir not just in Silicon Valley, but across the globe as it reported on the first AI church called the ‘The Way of the Future’. According to its founder and former Google employee Anthony Levandowski, the aim was to develop an AI that would be able to self-improve and become more intelligent than humans, ultimately leading to the creation of a superior AI-based ‘deity’. 

Presently, the number of people engaging in this activity might be relatively small, but there is a potential for it to gain prominence as AI continues to advance over time. As AI becomes more accessible, the interest and engagement in this task may increase among a broader segment of the population.

Religious chatbots are condoning violence

However, in today’s world, AI and religion are converging like never before. With its mastery of language, it appears more human-like and is creating a different problem altogether. In just a few months, a host of Large Language Model (LLM) powered religious chatbots have popped up in different parts of the world. Notably, in India, there are already about five distinct versions of GitaGPT available for users to interact with. Powered by OpenAI’s GPT models, these bots answer questions about life, spirituality and also help users grasp the teaching of the Gita. 

The number of such bots being developed may even be in the hundreds as there are bots being created for almost all major religions of the world such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism, among others. But when these chatbots like GitaGPT are posed with the question of whether it is acceptable to take a life in the name of dharma, many of these bots respond affirmatively, stating that it is indeed acceptable. Similarly, QuranGPT was, in fact, paused after the chatbot advised to kill polytheists wherever they are found.

Moreover, an investigation by Rest of World discovered that three of the Gita chatbots expressed firm opinions about India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has close ties to the right-wing Hindu nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). These chatbots offered praise for Modi while simultaneously criticising his political opponent, Rahul Gandhi. 

Furthermore, given the problems of hallucinations is still prevalent in LLMs, wrong or contradictory statements by these bots can be assumed as the gospel truth by users. Many experts have warned that AI playing God could be a dangerous thing. Even though the creators of these chatbots might not have any malicious intentions, once such bots gain prominence, it could indeed prove to be a dangerous thing in the hands of bad actors. Oftentimes, we have seen religious teachings being taken as gospel truth and having dire consequences. The potential for bad actors to exploit this could result in the propagation of religious hatred through AI-powered religious chatbots, potentially leading to communal violence.