Can a chatbot preach a good sermon? Hundreds attend church service generated by ChatGPT to find out

[dalton99a]

https://apnews.com/article/germany-church-protestants-chatgpt-ai-sermon-651f21c24cfb47e3122e987a7263d348

Can a chatbot preach a good sermon? Hundreds attend church service generated by ChatGPT to find out
By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER

FUERTH, Germany (AP) — The artificial intelligence chatbot asked the believers in the fully packed St. Paul’s church in the Bavarian town of Fuerth to rise from the pews and praise the Lord.

The ChatGPT chatbot, personified by an avatar of a bearded Black man on a huge screen above the altar, then began preaching to the more than 300 people who had shown up on Friday morning for an experimental Lutheran church service almost entirely generated by AI.

“Dear friends, it is an honor for me to stand here and preach to you as the first artificial intelligence at this year’s convention of Protestants in Germany,” the avatar said with an expressionless face and monotonous voice.

The 40-minute service — including the sermon, prayers and music — was created by ChatGPT and Jonas Simmerlein, a theologian and philosopher from the University of Vienna.

...



People attend a church service in Nuremberg, Germany, Friday, June 9, 2023. Hundreds of German Protestants have attended a church service in Bavaria that was generated almost entirely by artificial intelligence. The service was created by ChatGPT and Jonas Simmerlein, a theologian and philosopher from the University of Vienna. The ChatGPT chatbot, personified by different avatars on a huge screen above the altar, led the more than 300 people through 40 minutes of prayer, music, sermons and blessings. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. Probably forgot the fundraising component,,,,

[highplainsdem]

2. This is basically worshipping AI. How stupid...

[dalton99a]

9. +1

[Solly Mack]

3. Well, at least AI won't be molesting children.

[diva77]

5. OMG!!!!! Epic remark!!!

[Solly Mack]

8. Just an observation.

Won't keep predators out of the sanctuary.

[DFW]

4. Just have the whole thing artificial

Have the show attended by 3-D parishioners created by 3-D printers, and brought to the event by driverless Tesla vehicles. Have the sermon delivered by a remotely controlled minister, and make the video available for later reference, in case any organics are interested in what went on.

Who needs live people any more, anyhow?

[diva77]

6. Bitcoin for the collection plate too!

[DFW]

7. That's the spirit! n/t

[highplainsdem]

10. And have bots write any news stories about the services, and other bots

read them.