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16 - Artificial Companions and Spiritual Enhancement

from Part III - Religious Studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2024

By
Yorick Wilks
Edited by
Beth Singler  and
Fraser Watts
Beth Singler
Affiliation:
Universität Zürich
Fraser Watts
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
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Summary

Recent progress has been made towards developing automated companions for the elderly. Building on work in the early days of artificial intelligence that showed that computers could deliver non-directive counselling, the possibility arises that computers could be used to provide people with an opportunity for spiritual conversation. Research using Wizard-of-Oz methodology shows that at least some people find it helpful to have spiritual conversations with what they believe to be an avatar, and work using GPT-3 shows that computers can be an acceptable interlocutor in spiritual conversation. The possibility now arises of developing a spiritual companion that would be personalised for a particular individual and become familiar with their spiritual life. This would not, in every way, replace a human spiritual guide, but could provide a resource that at least some people would find valuable and would assist in their spiritual development.

Keywords

automatedspiritualcompanionWizard-of-OzGPT-3avatarcounselling
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Companion to Religion and Artificial Intelligence , pp. 275 - 292
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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