Indians Turn to AI Gurus for Spiritual Guidance

Indians are turning to AI chatbots for spiritual guidance and answers. This trend emerged as some found human gurus to be unhelpful during times of grief. For example, after a family tragedy, Kripa Vaidyanathan's sister received what she felt was a "cruel and extremely unhelpful" response from a human guru. The family then sought comfort from AI chatbots. Vaidyanathan noted that "ChatGPT is not judging you," making it easier to find peace of mind. These chatbots are powered by large language models, incorporating sacred texts like Hinduism’s ‘Bhagavad Gita’. The constant accessibility of AI, compared to the limited time of human gurus, is a key draw. This development shows a new way people are seeking spiritual comfort and understanding.