Fact Checked by 
A church in Switzerland has introduced an AI-powered Jesus to hear confessions and provide spiritual guidance.
The historic St. Peter’s Chapel in Lucerne collaborated with a local university to develop and implement this AI, which has been trained using the New Testament to reflect the teachings and persona of Jesus.
Upon entering the confessional, visitors are greeted by a digital depiction of Jesus with a distinctly “Swiss-inspired” appearance displayed on a screen. They can engage in conversation, asking questions or sharing concerns. However, there is concern about the avatar’s theological interpretation of scripture, as the software relies on religious content sourced from the internet.
This innovative installation, titled “Deus in Machina” (“God in a Machine”), is part of an art project created in partnership with the Immersive Realities Research Lab at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. The AI Jesus will be available in St. Peter’s Chapel for two months, offering visitors a chance to interact with him face-to-face through the confessional screen.
It’s not the first time AI chatbots have been developed to foster human connections. In June, ReadWrite reported that Google was reportedly creating AI chatbots modeled on celebrities, similar to Meta’s avatars, designed for social interaction. Some have been so convincing that OpenAI issued a warning about forming overly close attachments to its chatbot.
AI Jesus both ‘convincing and emotional’
Speaking earlier this month after the installation, Dr. Aljosa Smolic, co-head of the Immersive Realities Research Lab, stated (translated from German): “From a technical perspective, I’m really impressed with how well it worked—how good the AI is, how convincing and emotional it could become, and also how well it was received by people. It sparked both positive and negative reactions, but definitely, from a technical standpoint, it was pretty impressive.”
He added: “As for the final conversation with ‘Jesus,’ maybe I should have asked a bit more personal questions. I think I leaned more toward a theological tone—talking about life after death and similar topics—so it may have been a bit too theological, less personal.”
“What we’re doing here is an experiment, “ Marco Schmid, a theologian at St. Peter’s Chapel, also told German news outlet DW. “We wanted to launch the discussion by letting people have a very concrete experience with AI, that way we have a foundation for talking about it, discussing it with one another.”
How it tackled complex questions
A blog post from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts showcased that AI Jesus was able to tackle even the most complex theological questions.
The interviewer asked: “How do I support, from a Christian perspective, an elderly, sick person who has decided on assisted suicide?”
To which the AI responded: “Perhaps you could ask your loved one the following questions: What does your faith mean to you in this difficult time? Is there anything else in life that could bring you peace or joy? How can I support you and give you comfort? Your task is not to judge, but to accompany with love.”
Schmid stressed that placing the avatar in the confessional is a practical choice and not intended to replace the sacrament of confession.
Featured image: Midjourney
