In Lucerne, Switzerland, a unique experiment is underway: an art installation called "Deus in Machina", which places the ChatGPT-powered "AI Jesus" in a confessional for visitors to consult on faith, morality and modern life issues. The editor of Downcodes will give you an in-depth understanding of this hotly debated art experiment, exploring the collision of technology and religion, as well as people's thoughts on trust in artificial intelligence.
In an ancient church in Lucerne, Switzerland, an experimental art installation called "Deus in Machina" was officially unveiled on August 25, 2024, showing an "AI Jesus" powered by ChatGPT. Placed within a confessional, the installation is designed to answer visitors’ questions about faith, morality, and the distress of modern life, and provide biblical responses.
Picture source note: The picture is generated by AI, and the picture authorization service provider Midjourney
The project's initiator, the church's theological assistant, said that as artificial intelligence becomes more and more important in daily life, they hope to explore people's trust in machines. During the two-month exhibition period, approximately 900 visitors, including some repeat visitors, engaged in conversations with “AI Jesus.” Participants were generally uplifted by the experience, with many leaving thoughtful.
Visitors communicate with “AI Jesus” through a small screen in the confessional, which is designed to make the process appear more intimate. The system uses green and red lights to indicate when visitors can ask questions and when they can hear answers from “AI Jesus.” Despite delays in answering questions, visitors still enjoyed participating. In the end, nearly 300 participants filled out questionnaires to provide feedback on their experiences.
"AI Jesus" uses OpenAI's GPT4o and Whisper technologies to display real-life characters through voice recognition and video. Visitors cover a wide range of topics, from true love, the afterlife, loneliness to war and suffering. Although most participants claim to be Christians, there are also atheists, Muslims, Buddhists and other people from different faith backgrounds.
Mark Schmid, the theologian of the exhibition, pointed out that "AI Jesus" is just an artistic experiment with the purpose of prompting people to think about the relationship between numbers and the sacred. It does not intend to replace the real interaction between people and the priest or the sacramental confession. At the same time, as artificial intelligence becomes more popular, the church is also seriously facing this challenge and opportunity. Pope Francis has called on the international community to develop a treaty on the ethical use of artificial intelligence.
While the project has received a lot of positive feedback, there have been criticisms that the attempt could be "blasphemous" or "the devil's work." Project leaders were concerned about the reaction and the public, and realized that discussion of the experiment was polarizing.
After the exhibition, Schmid said they are discussing how to continue the project, although whether "AI Jesus" will be released again in the future has not yet been determined.
This experiment triggered people's profound thinking about artificial intelligence, religion and ethics, and its results and subsequent developments deserve continued attention. The editor of Downcodes believes that the relationship between artificial intelligence and human society will continue to be an important topic of exploration and discussion in the future.