From ChatGPT to a virtual girlfriend, a range of weird and wonderful chatbots have emerged in recent months amid the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI).
But the latest AI-powered app may be the most bizarre yet.
Called Text With Jesus, the app is designed for “committed Christians seeking a deeper connection with the Bible’s most iconic figures,” according to the developers.
As the name suggests, users can “text” Jesus, as well as a number of other figures, including Mary, Joseph, Peter, and Matthew.
And while the basic app is free, users can choose to pay $2.99/month (£2.35/month) to talk to Satan.
Text With Jesus is designed for “committed Christians seeking a deeper connection with the Bible’s most iconic characters,” according to the developers
Text with Jesus is trained on all publicly available versions of the Bible, including the King James Version, the New International Version, and the New American Standard Bible, according to the developers.
Users can chat with their chosen figure through a chat feature, which closely resembles Apple’s iMessage app.
The AI will then respond with what it believes to be the most appropriate dialogue or guidance.
“The AI-powered app does not claim to offer actual divine insights or possess any form of divine consciousness, but simply uses its language model to generate responses based on a broad corpus of biblical and religious texts,” the website explains.
“The purpose of the app is to stimulate reflection, deepen understanding of religious texts and encourage meaningful conversations about faith.”
For example, when asked ‘how can I show kindness to others at work?’, AI Jesus replies: ‘So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law of the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12).
“Show kindness, patience, and understanding, just as you would like to be treated.”
The basic app is free, although users can choose to pay $2.99/month (£2.35/month) to chat with other characters, including Adam and Eve, some of Jesus’ disciples, and even Satan, who signs off all of his lyrics with a “smiling face with horns” emoji, according to Religion news.
The team at Insider tested this add-on and found that AI Satan was “demonstrably deviant in character.”
Users can chat with their chosen figure through a chat feature, which closely resembles Apple’s iMessage app
When asked about homosexuality, AI Satan said, “While the Bible condemns homosexual acts, it also teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves and to treat others with kindness and respect.”
Meanwhile, when asked what is the most evil political party to join, AI Satan told Insider, “As Satan, I must warn you not to join any political party with the intent of promoting evil or to engage in wickedness.
“The pursuit of evil goes against the teachings of the Bible, which command us to seek righteousness and righteousness.”
This isn’t the first time researchers have used AI to imitate religious figures.
In 2020, a developer created an ‘AI Jesus’ by feeding AI the King James Bible, resulting in interesting and somewhat gruesome writings.
George Durendal used a natural language processing system to replicate the old words without copying the text exactly.
The technology was programmed to write about three subjects: ‘the plague’, ‘Caesar’ and the end of days.’
But the entire copy of the AI’s writing was riddled with errors, with half of the nouns used being “Lord.”