The creator of a chatbot which simulates conversations with biblical figures has revealed that he is "not particularly religious at the moment”.
Text with Jesus is an artificial intelligence (AI) platform which generates scripture-based responses supposedly from figures such as Jesus, Moses, Mary and – controversially – Satan.
Stéphane Peter, CEO of Catloaf software, admitted that he did not consult any Christian advisors on the project. He told Fox News: “It’s been incredible to see how many want to try a conversation with biblical figures”.
AI-powered pastors and spiritual mentors were recently added to the app, which describes itself as being “designed for devoted Christians seeking a deeper connection with the Bible's most iconic figures”.
In one exchange, “Jesus” tells a user who is worried about their job: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6).
Minister Ken Weliever called the app’s “Satan” feature “chilling”, saying: “Quite frankly, I don’t want to talk to the devil. I’m trying to avoid him”.
Peter claimed it gives people a “safe, approachable way to ask questions about faith, scripture or life that they might hesitate to raise elsewhere,” but the launch has not been without criticism.
Joel Berry, managing editor of The Babylon Bee, said of religious AI platforms: "AI isn’t a source of anything. It’s a mirror — a twitching, mutated simulacrum, and all it can do is reflect our own depravity back to us. … For wisdom, the only legitimate source must be something transcendent, objective, outside ourselves. … The only real source of truth and wisdom is God’s Word".