AI is already changing white-collar work, but it could change things as far-removed from technology as even religion.
The renowned historian and philosopher Yuval Noah Harari, known for his macro-historical perspective on humanity, has turned his attention to the future of faith in an age of artificial intelligence. Harari suggests that AI could fundamentally alter the very foundation of text-based religions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam by becoming the ultimate interpreter of sacred scriptures, a role historically held by humans.
Harari’s assertion centers on the idea that for millennia, the authority in these religions has rested on ancient texts. However, these texts have always required human intermediaries to decipher their meaning and answer the questions of followers. “We are going to see AI changing even things like religion,” Harari states. “Religions which are based on texts like Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, they give ultimate authority to the text, not to any human being.”
He elaborates on the historical limitation of this model: “Now, until today, humans were nevertheless the main authority in these religions because the texts could not speak. The Bible could not interpret itself. The Bible could not answer your questions, so you needed a human being as an intermediary.”
The crux of Harari’s argument lies in the unprecedented capabilities of modern AI. “What happens when you have an AI that can speak for itself?” he asks. This question marks a potential turning point in religious history. He highlights the sheer scale of religious law and commentary, noting, “No Jewish rabbi can know all the texts of Judaism because there are too many of them.” In contrast, an AI could hold this vast repository of knowledge. “For the first time in history,” Harari explains, “there is something on the planet that is able to remember every single word in every writing of every rabbi in the last 2000 years, and talk back to you and explain and defend its views.”
The implications of such a development are profound. An AI, armed with the entirety of a religious canon and its vast interpretive history, could offer personalized spiritual guidance, answer complex theological questions, and even generate new religious insights. This could democratize religious knowledge, making it more accessible to the average person. However, it also raises critical questions about the nature of faith, the role of human spiritual leaders, and the potential for a new form of religious authority – one that is algorithmic. AI is already causing ripples in the religious world — former Uber exec Anthony Levandowski had started a religion that worshipped AI all the way back in 2017, and Bill Gates has said that the advent of AI could require the emergence of a new religion. And with AI appearing set to upend society as we know it, it does seem likely that it could cause changes in religion as well.