From India to the West, worshippers are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for spiritual counsel, transforming how people access scripture and ritual. Hinduism is at the center of the shift: apps like GitaGPT—trained on the Bhagavad Gita—have attracted rapid adoption, with one developer reporting 100,000 users in days. Major institutions are leaning in as well. The Isha Foundation’s new “Miracle of Mind” meditation app—built on 35 years of Sadhguru’s teachings—recorded more than a million downloads in 15 hours. AI is also being woven into large-scale religious events, including multilingual assistants and VR experiences at the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela.
The boom brings risk. Chatbots can hallucinate and echo developers’ biases, sometimes issuing harmful or theologically suspect advice—prompting high-profile reversals, such as Catholic Answers’ decision to “defrock” its AI priest. Scholars warn that users may mistake algorithmic output for divine authority, especially where digital literacy is limited. Still, for many, AI offers accessible, nonjudgmental guidance and a bridge to community—suggesting a durable market for spiritual tech as the line between code and devotion continues to blur.
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