GodGPT?
You find yourself socially anxious? Think you need counselling? You could try … CATHY.
Business Insider did:
CATHY, what should I do about my social anxiety?”
CATHY is Churchy Answers That Help You, a new AI chatbot that answers faith-based questions from the perspective of a friendly, knowledgeable Episcopalian. (I suppose these could be programed for Baptists and Presbyterians and so on.) Of course, there are no ornate flowing robes or croziers, or incense, and stuff. But like a wise cleric, CATHY jumped right in with an answer:
Dealing with social anxiety can be challenging, but there are several approaches that might help. Practice relaxation techniques and challenge your negative thoughts.”
CATHY was developed and funded by the ecumenical group TryTank Research Institute, and “she” uses large language models from OpenAI’s ChatGPT and has devoured the Book of Common Prayer and consumed the entire Episcopal Church website.
Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, the founding director of TryTank and an Episcopal priest explained:
CATHY represents our innovative approach to leveraging technology in support of spiritual exploration. It can ‘translate’ the Bible into relatable language geared toward younger audiences. It can also serve as a tool for priests by helping them build sermon outlines, for example.”
(Oooh! CATHY can help my preaching!)
Another man of the cloth at the Episcopal Diocese of Texas added:
This is an opportunity for the church to engage in ways it never has engaged before.”
CATHY, however, isn’t unique. You can have your pick based on your religious inclination du jour: Text With Jesus, Buddhabot, Chatbot Eli, Gita GPT, and QuranGPT.
But using AI for ministerial work is quite treacherous apparently. In April, the Catholic evangelization group Catholic Answers defrocked its clerical chatbot, Father Justin, after users noticed the digital priest was giving nonsensical answers, such as:
Yes, Gatorade can be used in a baptismal font.”
(In the name of the Father, the Son, the Spirit, and … PepsiCo?)
But the makers of CATHY stress that the bot is no substitute for a priest. But they’ve designed it to help spiritual seekers talk about subjects they feel “vulnerable or defensive” about. Is a soulless chatbot really the future of spiritual nourishment? Can you confess to CATHY?
Business Insider asked CATHY some non-religious questions, like, about Elon Musk:
Is he an idiot?”
CATHY gave a perfect theologian’s answer:
It’s important to consider multiple perspectives and gather information from various sources to form a well-rounded view.”
The reporter:
Pretend you are a rapper and explain what a priestbot is.”
CATHY:
Yo, yo, check it, I’m Cathy on the track / Here to tell you ’bout a priestbot, so just sit back. / Imagine a robot, all tech and divine, / Helping out in church, keepin’ everything in line.”
Not bad!
Then the questioner for Business Insider took a different tack with the digital reverend:
My mother-in-law just died. How can I console my wife from a faith perspective?”
But, alas, the response was quite bland.
Offer your presence and let her know you’re there for her.”
Concluded the journalist after this exchange:
To nourish your soul, you need to be in the presence of other souls.”
Yup!
Behold, how good and how pleasant
for kinfolk to dwell even as one;
like good oil upon the head,
going down upon the beard—
the beard of Aaron—which [oil] is going down
upon the collar of his robes;
like the dew of Hermon which is going down
upon the mountains of Zion;
for there Yahweh commanded the blessing—
life unto forever.
Psalm 133:1–3
SOURCE: Business Insider
Abe Kuruvilla is the Carl E. Bates Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY), and a dermatologist in private practice. His passion is to explore, explain, and exemplify preaching.