Swiss Church’s AI Jesus Leaves Visitors Divided
mixed reviews: both good and bad opinions about something
This summer, the oldest church in Lucerne, Switzerland, tried something new. Peter’s chapel set up a digital screen inside a confessional booth. Behind the screen was an artificial intelligence system designed to speak like Jesus. Visitors could ask this AI Jesus about religion and life. More than 1,000 people used it over two months. Some people came from far away, including tourists from China and Vietnam.
The project received mixed reviews. Many said the AI Jesus gave wise and helpful advice. According to the church, about two-thirds of visitors said it was a spiritual experience. Others, however, said the AI gave overly simple or trite answers.
The church did not keep the AI Jesus after the experiment. They worried the machine might say something wrong or go against religious teachings. Still, this project showed that people want new ways to explore faith. Theologian Marco Schmid told The Guardian, “I think there is a thirst to talk with Jesus. People want to have an answer: they want words and to listen to what he’s saying.”
Sample sentences
The new superhero movie got mixed reviews because some people loved the action, but others thought the story was boring.
The restaurant’s new menu received mixed reviews; some customers liked the creative dishes, but others missed the old favorites.
The teacher’s new teaching style had mixed reviews among students; some said it was fun, while others found it confusing.
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