People seeking spiritual guidance are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence for answers, comfort and reflection. The shift is prompting gurus and religious organisations to launch chatbots based on their teachings, while scholars warn that instant, always-available responses cannot replicate human judgement, community or the lived experience of faith.
Key takeaways
AI spiritual tools are expanding access to religious teachings and personal guidance, often without cost or fear of judgement.
- Sadhguru and Deepak Chopra are among the prominent figures developing AI-powered experiences.
- GitaGPT uses avatars of Lord Krishna to offer advice based on the Bhagavad Gita.
- Critics warn that chatbots can misinterpret sacred texts and reinforce users’ existing views.
- Religious groups are exploring AI while adding safeguards against fabricated or misleading answers.
Why people are turning to AI
For many users, chatbots provide something traditional spiritual institutions cannot always offer: immediate, private access. Kripa Vaidyanathan, a yoga instructor in Chennai, said her family turned to AI after a guru’s explanation of karma failed to help her sister cope with the death of her 27-year-old daughter in a 2024 car crash.
Vaidyanathan said ChatGPT felt easier to approach because it did not judge the family and was available at any time. That combination of accessibility, anonymity and constant availability is particularly significant in Hindu traditions, where gurus have historically played a central role in helping followers pursue moksha, or liberation from reincarnation.
Gurus are building their own AI tools
The growing interest is not happening outside organised spirituality. Indian teacher Jaggi Vasudev, widely known as Sadhguru, has added an interactive AI feature to his Miracle of the Mind app. It responds using a database of his talks and teachings. US-based self-help author Deepak Chopra has similarly introduced “Digital Deepak”, drawing on his published work and lectures.
Other projects take a more explicitly religious approach. GitaGPT, created by Vikas Sahu, presents AI avatars of Lord Krishna and uses the Bhagavad Gita to respond to users in distress. Sahu describes it as a free spiritual companion, not a replacement for finding a human guru.
The limits of an artificial guru
Religious studies scholars question whether a chatbot can interpret sacred material responsibly without the community and traditions surrounding it. Liz Bucar of Northeastern University said religious texts require context and teaching, warning that inserting scripture into a language model does not guarantee meaningful or reliable answers.
Noreen Herzfeld of St John’s School of Theology and Seminary said chatbots can deliver straightforward information but may not provide the physical presence associated with spiritual awakening. She also warned that AI systems often agree with users too readily, acting as cheerleaders rather than teachers willing to challenge assumptions.
That concern echoes wider debates covered by Power AI Media: fluent responses can sound authoritative even when they are incomplete, biased or factually wrong. In spiritual settings, such errors may carry emotional and ethical consequences.
Faith groups are adding guardrails
Some organisations are treating AI as a new way to distribute established teachings rather than as a digital replacement for a spiritual leader. The Self-Realization Fellowship, founded by Paramahansa Yogananda, is developing an online teaching portal but says it is taking time to prevent hallucinated answers that do not reflect his work.
Technology is also being combined with human contact. India-based Innerverse 360 offers live sessions with monks and gurus alongside an “Ask AI” feature. Meanwhile, Proto Hologram has worked on a three-dimensional Sadhguru avatar capable of interacting with devotees in several languages.
The emerging model is therefore less about replacing gurus than extending their reach. As AI becomes part of the spiritual landscape, users will need to treat chatbots as tools for reflection and access—not as unquestionable authorities or substitutes for professional, pastoral or community support.