Introduction

Every generation faces a moment when something new arrives—too big to ignore, too unfamiliar to immediately embrace.

Centuries ago, that “new thing” was the printed book.
Today, it may be artificial intelligence.

In this blended reflection, I would like to explore two intriguing ideas:

1. How the Church moved from resisting novelty to shaping AI ethics, and
2. Whether AI itself could become a “new religion” for some.

Let’s ponder it together.

When Novelty Was Dangerous

History gives us vivid examples of how disruptive new knowledge once felt.

Historical Parallels: Technology vs. Institutions

Historical Disruption	Institutional Reaction	The Core Fear
Heliocentric Model (Galileo)	Tried and found guilty of supporting ideas declared “formally heretical” (Galileo affair).	Displacing humanity from the literal centre of the universe.
The Printing Press	The creation of the Index Librorum Prohibitorum (1559–1966) to ban “dangerous” texts.	Democratised access to information undermining absolute authority.
Astronomical Science (Copernicus)	Forced to present his findings merely as hypothetical models rather than literal truth.	Scientific observation contradicting established dogma.

Imagine handing your code to a council of theologians and hearing: “This function feels suspicious.”

But beneath the humour, there’s a real insight:
Novelty disrupts. Novelty threatens existing structures. Novelty asks us to rethink who we are.

So resistance is not surprising — it’s almost human.

And Yet… Institutions Change

This is the part of history I find strangely soothing:
The same Church that once banned books now writes ethical frameworks for AI.

In the Vatican’s recent document Antiqua et Nova (2025), the Church acknowledges AI’s potential for both harm and flourishing - read at vatican.va.

A recent review of Vatican AI ethics work By Shane Tews states:

“the Vatican brings a distinct theological voice, framing AI not just as a technical issue but as a moral and spiritual one.” How the Vatican Is Shaping the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Even the US Conference of Catholic Bishops notes:

“Like any product of human creativity, AI can be directed toward positive or negative ends.”
as stated in the post Morality of AI depends on human choices, Vatican says in new document

So we now see bishops, researchers, engineers, bioethicists sitting at the same table and discuss the top most recent technological concepts.

It’s almost surreal: the institution that once feared printed pages is now discussing neural networks under Renaissance ceilings.

Could AI Become a New Religion?

The possibility of AI becoming a new religion is arguably very paramount, since we all know from our history that when something feels powerful and mysterious, humans often treat it as sacred.

Some people already speak to AI as though they’re visiting an oracle, a confidant, or a philosophical companion. AI is always there to answer our questions; it is omnipresent.

Theological Limits: AI vs. Traditional Religion

What AI Offers Today	What Religion Requires	The Missing Gap
Guidance (“What should I do?”)	Moral Horizons	AI provides statistical probabilities, not objective ethical truths.
Comfort (“Talk to me.”)	Community & Ritual	AI simulates empathy but cannot share in communal human suffering or joy.
Predictions (“What might happen?”)	A Metaphysical Story	AI predicts material outcomes based on historical data; it offers no transcendent meaning.
Authority (“Explain this.”)	Soul & Intentionality	AI is mechanical and finite. It possesses no inner life or spiritual conviction.

I cannot, however, guarantee these aspects won’t be addressed or associated with AI in the future. A community of AI worshippers could emerge if people stop thinking for themselves and blindly trust the most intelligent and superior human creation on Earth.

Think about how some people believe everything communicated on social media and television today. The information provided by AI can be polished to desired outcomes, entirely in favour of the controlling subjects.

Today, AI is statistical, mechanical, and finite. At the moment, AI has no soul, no intentionality, no inner life.
It is extraordinary, but it is not transcendent. However, will it always stay this way? Can it ever develop self-consciousness and an agenda that wasn’t initially included in its code?

AI can become religion-like for some individuals

This can happen through gentle nudges—offering personal guidance or serving as a place to discuss and reflect on one’s thoughts. AI can be seen as a brilliant philosophical sparring partner and a kind of “oracle” for decision making.

Not a church, but a companion. Not a god, but a voice in a quiet moment. However, being a humble advisor does not mean it is any less influential.

If AI ever becomes a religion, it will be a religion of our own thoughts—spoken back to us with better grammar.

Could we not perceive AI’s perfection in grammar, technical skills, and access to massive amounts of knowledge as a superpower?

What This Reveals About Us

We deeply desire connection as human beings; we want clarity and certainty, especially in challenging times and when the world moves too fast.

AI didn’t invent these desires. It simply listens to them.

And that is what makes this moment feel so timeless.
When books appeared, people feared they would replace the teacher, the priest, the storyteller. Instead, books expanded them.

Perhaps AI will do the same — if we choose wisely.

A tool of mass manipulation?

However, we must be aware that even religion, whose sole purpose is to teach us goodness and tap into our spirituality, can be used for mass manipulation. We must not submit to the possible manipulation by AI, since it is controlled by large corporations that might have their own agendas.

We have to commit to using AI tools responsibly, checking our sources, reading books, and thinking critically. Thinking is free, and we don’t need any AI tools for that :)

What If Kindness Became the “New Religion”?

Here’s a thought I keep returning to:
If AI is prompting us to rethink meaning again, maybe the answer isn’t worshipping machines but rediscovering each other.

What if the most valuable novelty of this era isn’t intelligence, but kindness?

What if our guiding belief became:

“We build technology so we can live together better and happier.”

Not faith in algorithms, but trust in human dignity — the very theme the Vatican’s AI ethics work emphasises.

We might focus not on worshipping machines or idealistic concepts, but on becoming more understanding, generous, responsible, empathic, and kind listeners to each other.

This, to me, feels like the most beautiful “new religion” we could imagine.

No altar needed—just gentleness in the code we write and the world we shape.

Final Thoughts

From forbidden books to ethical AI — the journey is long, circular, and hopeful.

History teaches us that humans fear novelty before we embrace it.
But it also shows us we eventually learn, adapt, open doors, and gather around the fire again—this time with new tools in our hands.

So when we ask whether AI might become a religion, perhaps the truer question is:

Can we let this moment make us kinder? More thoughtful? More connected?

If yes, then maybe we’ve already answered the question.