AI-powered chatbots are becoming part of people’s spiritual lives, according to a recent New York Times report highlighting the rise of faith-based apps.
The app Bible Chat has been downloaded more than 30 million times, while Hallow briefly topped Apple’s App Store last year. These platforms typically guide users toward scripture or religious doctrine, while others go further, including one site that allows people to “chat with God.”
Some religious leaders see potential in this shift. Rabbi Jonathan Roman described chatbots as “a way into faith” for “a whole generation of people who have never been to a church or synagogue.”
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But researchers warn of risks. Heidi Campbell, a Texas A&M professor who studies digital culture and religion, cautioned that religious chatbots don’t offer spiritual discernment. Instead, they rely on predictive patterns that may simply affirm a user’s views.
“They tell us what we want to hear,” Campbell said, warning that such systems could reinforce delusional or conspiratorial thinking under the guise of spiritual guidance.
