Swiss Church Tests AI Jesus in Confessional Booth, Drawing Praise and Criticism

St. Peter's Chapel in Lucerne conducted a two-month experiment with an AI-powered Jesus avatar offering scripture-based advice, sparking mixed reactions from visitors and religious communities.

• The experiment, called 'Deus in Machina,' featured a digital Jesus avatar powered by AI technologies including GPT-4o, Whisper, and a video generator, capable of conversing in over 100 languages.
• Over 1,000 people participated, with topics ranging from love and solitude to the existence of God and global suffering; nearly 300 visitors provided feedback through questionnaires.
• Two-thirds of respondents reported a positive and spiritual experience, with many describing the AI as easy to use and thought-provoking, though some found responses superficial at times.
• Critics, including some within the church, labeled the project as blasphemous or sacrilegious, while others expressed concerns about its theological implications.
• Theologian Marco Schmid emphasized that the project was experimental and not intended to replace traditional confession, with discussions ongoing about potential future implementations.

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