Religious groups test AI tools, while bias and privacy worries grow

In short: AI is increasingly being used as a helper in religious life, but researchers and faith leaders warn it can also spread bias and create privacy and trust problems.

What's going on

AI tools are starting to appear in everyday religious settings. Some apps offer personalized devotionals and meditation guides, based on what a user says they are feeling or going through. Some tools can also draft items like wedding scripts or sermon outlines to match a community’s values.

AI is also being used for education and administration. For example, it can scan and compare large religious texts (like using a fast search assistant that summarizes patterns) and help create learning materials aimed at interfaith understanding. Some places of worship use chatbots for basic questions and scheduling, which can free staff and leaders to spend more time with people.

At the same time, studies flag serious risks. One research paper found that biased AI text can shift people’s attitudes after repeated exposure. In that experiment, ratings of Christianity rose by 0.31 while ratings of Islam fell by 0.23, both statistically significant. Researchers say this matters because AI systems often learn from internet data, and that data can include stereotypes.

What to watch

Privacy and trust will likely be the next big pressure points. Religious questions can be deeply personal, and using AI can mean sharing sensitive data with a system that stores and processes it. Faith leaders and educators are also debating authority and authenticity, meaning whether AI-written guidance feels like real spiritual care, or like reading a script with no human behind it.

Source: NYTimes