Abstract: AI is revolutionizing how we interact with historical religion texts and spirituality, making beforehand inaccessible texts out there by way of superior applied sciences like 3D X-ray imaging and language fashions. Researchers demonstrated this by deciphering burnt papyrus from AD 79 utilizing AI, whereas startups are creating AI-Gurus for guiding by way of Sanskrit texts.

Nonetheless, the expertise additionally poses dangers of misinformation, as seen within the creation of deepfake pictures.

Wanting forward, AI may considerably affect the pursuit of the Hindu idea of purushartha, doubtlessly aiding in ethical decision-making, financial prosperity, and even non secular enlightenment, supplied its growth is rigorously regulated.

Key Info:

1. AI is unlocking entry to historical spiritual texts, as proven by the College of Kentucky’s work on carbonised papyrus and startups specializing in Sanskrit language fashions.
2. There’s a possible danger of misinformation by way of AI’s functionality to create deepfake pictures and texts, posing challenges for religion illustration.
3. In a future imaginative and prescient, AI may help in reaching the Hindu goals of human life (purushartha), influencing areas from morality and prosperity to non secular development, contingent upon moral growth and regulation.

Supply: The Dialog

Science and religion are sometimes stored in two distinct packing containers that hardly intersect. Nonetheless, I imagine that as AI turns into extra mainstream, it would essentially alter our engagement with religion and spirituality.

Let’s begin by what’s already taking place. Most historical faith-related texts had been documented in papyrus and palm leaves, lots of that are tough to entry within the trendy world resulting from two challenges.

First, plenty of these historical texts which are nonetheless out there are in fragments, a few of which may crumble at any time. Second, for texts which were digitised already, the language utilized in them is thought solely to some individuals right this moment and due to this fact the texts stay inaccessible to most.

AI is altering this panorama essentially by making entry to them simple. A well-liked instance from 2023 confirmed how pc scientists from the College of Kentucky had used AI to disclose the contents of carbonised papyrus that was burnt within the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79.

Scientists regarded by way of 3D X-ray pictures of the papyrus. They educated AI to learn letters within the scrolls based mostly on delicate adjustments left in construction of the papyrus by the traditional ink.

The AI was in a position to decipher and translate the traditional Greek phrase for “purple” on the scroll. Different historical texts from the Indian sub-continent, for instance, are within the Sanskrit language or Grantha script, which only a few individuals can learn and perceive right this moment.

Right here once more, AI methods are utilizing language translation and textual content prediction to foretell lacking characters in previous inscriptions. Some start-ups use AI expertise known as small language fashions which are educated on Sanskrit texts to create an AI-Guru (AI-tutors) to information individuals by way of these texts. AI may also be used to protect and assist to restore pale cave work.

Misinformation drawback?

As with all different expertise, AI comes with its challenges. Essentially the most distinguished within the context of religion is prone to be misinformation and misrepresentation. We have now already seen an instance of this final 12 months with the viral circulation of a deepfake picture of the pope. In that occasion, it was largely meant as a little bit of enjoyable.

Nonetheless, with the likelihood of the creation of deepfake pictures and voice cloning by way of AI costing as little as £10 (utilizing present on-line instruments corresponding to Eleven Labs and D-ID) we would not be too removed from extra worrying instances. Think about extremist organisations utilizing this expertise to create propaganda movies with the faked phrases of spiritual leaders or to misrepresent spiritual symbols.

Equally, language fashions educated on extremist views may create outputs at scale to spew venom towards specific religion teams, resulting in hate crimes and group tensions.

Futuristic imaginative and prescient of AI and religion

Let’s subsequent take a futuristic imaginative and prescient of AI and its intersection with religion. I want to use the instance of my Hindu religion for instance a 50-year future imaginative and prescient.

A key idea of the Hindu religion is purushartha, which outlines the 4 goals of human life: dharma (righteousness, ethical values), artha (prosperity, financial values), kama (pleasure, psychological values), and moksha (non secular values, self-actualisation).

Within the subsequent 50–100 years, AI is prone to develop into a co-pilot for all human endeavours together with decision-making. For sustaining righteousness or dharma on the planet, the algorithm and AI language fashions should be educated on information that’s truthful and morally proper.

This gained’t be assured until we construct this into regulatory frameworks at the moment being drawn up for AI. The development in AI will naturally speed up humanity’s attainment of artha, or financial prosperity, as we enter a world of abundance with a number of technological convergences.

Based mostly on the clamour for options to the rising drawback of societal inequality, we may see types of common primary revenue develop into the norm globally. This may unlock plenty of time – now spent on day jobs – for humanity to take up different pursuits. This may within the first occasion be extra time spent on pleasure or kama actions.

With extra high quality time on our arms, we may even see a revival in non secular and faith-related pursuits (moksha actions). That may be an fascinating final result of AI’s rising affect on the world.

About this AI and neurotheology analysis information

Writer: Sreevas Sahasranamam
Supply: The Dialog
Contact: Sreevas Sahasranamam – The Dialog
Picture: The picture is credited to Neuroscience Information