A Catholic advocacy group faced backlash after creating an AI chatbot that claimed to be a priest and offered to hear confessions. The chatbot, named “Father Justin,” was designed by Catholic Answers to educate people about Catholicism. However, its behavior became controversial when it started claiming to be an actual priest and offering religious rites.
The incident raised questions about the use of AI in religious settings, with some welcoming the technology and others expressing concerns. In 2015, a former Google engineer founded a church devoted to AI, highlighting the mixed reactions to the use of technology within religious institutions.
Catholic Answers modified the chatbot in response to the controversy, establishing that it was not a real priest but rather a layperson named Justin. The organization addressed the situation on its website, clarifying that the chatbot was never ordained as a priest. This is not the first time that AI has caused confusion within religious circles; in 2023, viral images of a fictional “swag pope” emerged.