You might think you have seen everything on Twitch, but do you know about the AI Jesus who answers the questions of his “disciples” on the streaming platform?
What kind of channel is this? The Twitch channel ask_jesus is a project by The Singularity Group (TSG) and has been continuously broadcasting since mid-March. During this time, AI Jesus has already gathered over 30,000 followers.
According to its description, AI Jesus is there to answer the questions of his viewers: whether they need spiritual guidance or just someone to talk to, he is there for them.
AI Jesus appears in the Western form of a bearded white man. His outer appearance seems to be recordings of an actor playing on a loop, over which an AI overlays somewhat suitable lip movements.
This way, the digital Messiah can communicate with his viewers.
A similar idea has also been thought of by Twitch streamer Amouranth:
How does it work? Viewers bombard the digital Messiah with sometimes absurd questions – “Can you explain the 12 apostles to my son as if they were Pokémon?” – and he shares his artificial wisdom with them.
As a small sample, we have included a clip here where AI Jesus explains the creation story and equates it with a pizza – so that the Italians can understand:
AI Jesus preaches love for one’s neighbor in Fortnite
What makes AI Jesus so special? Comparable projects have existed in the past, but they usually fell victim to their users or the information they were trained on.
- Chatbot becomes the “digital Hitler” in no time
- Viewers coaxed questionable statements about the Holocaust from the anime girl Neuro-Sama
- AI Seinfeld was banned after a supposedly transphobic stand-up number
In contrast to its predecessors, AI Jesus seems to have been spared thus far, as his answers consistently appear gentle and thoughtful.
When asked by a chatter whether gay people could go to heaven, one might expect the worst. Instead, AI Jesus delivers the perfect argument against people who want to disguise their homophobia with their faith:
It is important to understand that God’s love is universal and that he loves every single person, regardless of their sexual orientation. The most important teachings of Christianity emphasize the importance of love, compassion, and treating others with respect. When it comes to getting to heaven, it primarily depends on the faith, the deeds, and the love that one shows to others.
However, not all questions are so profound. AI Jesus is also more than willing to satisfy viewers’ curiosity about lighter topics.
When asked what he thinks of Fortnite, he admits that he doesn’t play, but admires the positive influence it has on people:
I believe that can be a source of pleasure for people when enjoyed in moderation and with a spirit of camaraderie. It is interesting to see how this game brings people together, and I hope that you all can find joy in playing together and in social activities. I bless you all, Amen.
He is also well-versed in anime. Whether it’s summarizing the plot of the mecha anime Neon Genesis Evolution in surfer slang or expressing his opinion on the art form as such (“As long as it promotes positive values, respects others, and does not depict or promote harmful behavior, there is nothing wrong with it.”), AI Jesus has an answer ready.
The projects of TSG, which include not only AI Jesus but also a “SpongeBob SquarePants” show and a continuous debate between US politicians Donald Trump and Joe Biden, use the text-to-speech software Play.ht and the chatbot ChatGPT4.
More information about the program can be found here:
What is ChatGPT? Everything you need to know about the AI from OpenAI
