Church installs AI confession room.

St. Peter's Chapel in Lucerne is a small, unassuming church and ranks as the oldest church in this Swiss city. However, it has recently gained notoriety for its high technology and its reliance on an AI-powered confessor who can speak 100 languages.

“This is really an experiment,” said Marco Schmid, a theologian at the church, adding, “ We want to see and understand how people react to an AI god. What will they talk about? Will they be interested in talking? We are probably pioneers in this field .”

This system, called Deus in Machina, launched in August as part of a multi-year collaboration with a local university's immersive reality research lab.

People are talking to an AI version of the confessor priest. (Photo: Guardian)

After experimenting with virtual reality and augmented reality, the church decided that the next step was to choose an avatar for the AI. Schmid said, " We discussed what kind of avatar it should be – a theologian, a human being, or a saint? But then we realized that the most suitable image would be Jesus ."

Due to a lack of space and the need for a place where people could have private conversations with the AI, the church installed computers and cables in the confessional booth. After training the AI ​​program on theological texts, visitors were invited to ask questions to an image of the long-haired Christ projected onto a grid screen. The AI ​​responded in real time, providing answers using artificial intelligence technology.

People were advised not to disclose any personal information and to confirm that they understood they were accepting risks when interacting with the AI. However, Schmid said the character would not listen to confessions but only engage in conversation.

During the two-month trial period, more than 1,000 people – including Muslims and tourists from far-flung countries like China and other Asian nations – seized the opportunity to experience it.

Feedback from over 230 users showed that two-thirds felt it was a "spiritual experience," Schmid said. " We can say they had a positive religious moment with this AI confessor. To me, that was surprising ."

Others were more negative, with some telling the church they found it impossible to communicate with the machine. A local reporter who tried the device described the responses as sometimes "cliché, repetitive, and radiating empty wisdom."

Schmid said the experiment also faced criticism from some within the church community. Catholics objected to the use of the confessional, while Protestants seemed angered by the way the images were installed.

Quartz

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/nha-tho-lap-dat-phong-xung-toi-ai-ar909083.html