In a digital era where artificial intelligence is increasingly intertwined with daily life, OpenAI’s ChatGPT has become a significant resource for inquiries on religion, receiving approximately 70 million questions weekly.
Christianity and Islam, the two predominant global religions, command the most attention from users. An analysis of interactions from September 2025 to September 2026 revealed that 45% of questions were related to Islam, while 34% concerned Christianity.
Interest in other religions was notably lower, with Hinduism making up 4% of inquiries, Judaism 2%, and Buddhism just 1%.
Religious holidays seem to trigger spikes in interactions, with a noticeable increase in Islam-related questions during Ramadan and Eid, and a rise in Christian-related inquiries around Easter.
Examining the nature of the questions, OpenAI found that nearly a third aimed to understand religious texts, averaging 22 million inquiries per week. Meanwhile, around 16 million focused on the significance of religious practices and holidays, with similar numbers seeking explanations of beliefs and spiritual guidance.
For Christianity, about half of the questions pertained to scripture passages, while only 13% dealt with worship, sermons, or church practices.
OpenAI emphasized, “The common thread is that people are using AI to deepen their understanding of their faith, not to replace it.”
According to OpenAI, while AI is valuable in assisting believers with their spiritual lives, it should not replace authentic spiritual guidance. They stated, “AI should help people pursue what matters to them, including their faith, while strengthening rather than replacing human relationships and institutions.”
They further noted, “Religious life is rooted in shared traditions, personal conviction, and connections among people. AI can support those activities, but it cannot and should not substitute for them.”
Additionally, they cautioned, “AI is not – and should not become – an arbiter of religious truth or a replacement for spiritual guidance. Those roles belong to individuals, religious leaders, and congregations.”
“What AI can do is to give people tools that help them practice their faith, deepen their understanding, and connect more meaningfully with those who share their beliefs,” the report concluded.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
