The world is adopting more advanced technologies to bring information to all, but this church in Germany has taken it to a whole new level by showcasing AI pastors to bring the word of God to all. Yes, you heard that right, as a recent service in Germany has used artificial intelligence to create content and even pose as the speakers at a recent event.
As usual, services go, it contained words and music which promoted faith and values as to what people expected, but it received mixed reviews from those that went to the service.
AI Pastors Appointed to Lead a Church Service in Germany
St. Paul's Church in Fürth, Germany has recently held a service led by AI, and according to the Associated Press, there were AI pastors who delivered the sermon to those that joined. The sermon was conceptualized by Jonas Simmerlain who claimed that the service consisted of 98 percent from the machine, a.k.a. the AI.
As much as 40 minutes of content was made solely with ChatGPT, alongside AI-generated speakers who delivered the sermons to the churchgoers. This service was part of a convention called Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag (German Evangelical Church Congress), and it is a biannual event that draws in thousands of attendees.
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Mixed Reviews for AI-Powered Church Service
The event's motto is "Now is the time," and it revolved around the topic of moving forward, overcoming the fear of death, and keeping the faith alive. The 40-minute service was delivered by four AI-generated avatars consisting of two men and two women.
According to the report, the churchgoers had mixed reviews for the AI-generated service, as some felt that while there was content and valuable information in the sermon, the tech lacked emotion in its delivery.
AP also said that attendees drew in laughter for occasional "deadpan" deliveries of the service, but some felt that it exceeded their expectations and were able to take in what was prepared by the AI.
Artificial Intelligence's Presence in the World
One cannot deny how much artificial intelligence has already taken over the world in this era, and many applications are already present and brings special developments for all. With the abundance of AI-generated content online, stock photography is now feeling the presence of generative content take over the industry with the possibility of replacing it.
With this massive shift towards AI dependence, various industries are threatened, especially art and humanities. Several artists in Japan have been vocal about AI replacing them in creating novel works for public consumption, especially as AI programs can do it in minutes after entering prompts, in contrast to artists pouring days, months, or years of work into it.
Still, this does not completely erase the fact that not all AI programs are fully capable of creating content that is 100 percent original.
Germany has taken a massive leap with AI when it allowed it to lead and deliver a service in one event. This may be the start of a new faithful future for some, relying on artificial intelligence to bring people the word of God and other important beings in religion, but for some, this is still not enough.
