Faculty Members of Our University Participate in the Panel “Is Artificial Intelligence a New Religion?”

On Thursday, 20 November, the Croatian Catholic Journalists’ Association organised a panel discussion titled “Is Artificial Intelligence a New Religion?” at the Church of St Michael in Zagreb’s Dubrava district, with faculty members of our University taking part, as reported by IKA.
 

Assistant Professor Odilon Singbo, Ph.D., from the University Department of Theology, presented the Christian perspective on artificial intelligence through the guiding question “Is artificial intelligence a new religion?” He emphasised that the “elevation of artificial intelligence to a status it does not deserve” is increasingly evident in contemporary society. He warned of a phenomenon he referred to as “googlism,” alluding to the tendency to perceive digital technologies as a kind of religion.

“Artificial intelligence is perceived as all-knowing and omnipresent, as the one that answers all our requests, potentially immortal, infinite, remembering everything and everyone, and the most sought-after of all,” he said, adding that AI is often attributed with Christian values and divine attributes, which raises serious anthropological and theological questions.

Suzana Peran, Ph.D., President of the Croatian Catholic Journalists’ Association and Assistant Professor at the University Department of Communication Studies, told HKR that such gatherings aim to encourage members, journalists, and believers to reflect on current societal issues, noting that the topic of artificial intelligence is indeed one of them.