Researchers ask, "Is AI making people less religious?"
Video + Research: Could automation be contributing to religious declines?
Over the past century, there has been a decline in religious affiliation. Now, researchers are exploring whether automation and AI have played a role in this shift. Joshua Conrad Jackson and his coauthors conducted several studies to investigate the connection between automation and religious belief.
Jackson and his fellow researchers examined the robotics sector in 68 countries and analyzed individual career paths and beliefs. Individuals who pursued computer science careers became significantly less religious over time, while those in medical fields became more religious.
The observed negative relationship does not necessarily mean that automation is causing the decline in religious belief—other causes are possible. At the same time, God-like qualities have often been projected onto AI systems, and the researchers wonder whether AI’s increasing presence and capabilities could further decrease religious practice for some individuals.
While automation’s impact on religion is uncertain, it is possible that the future may see either a further decline or a polarization of religious beliefs.
Watch the Video, and Read a Deeper Summary Below.
Exposure to automation explains religious declines
Robotics and artificial intelligence may be contributing to the decline of religion worldwide. While previous studies have examined the economic impact of automation, less research has focused on the cultural implications.
This research presents four unique datasets that correlate the decline of religion with an exposure to robots and AI. They look for this correlation across different levels of analysis, including national cultures, regions within a nation, communities, and organizations.
The findings suggest that an increase in automation throughout the 21st century could accelerate secularization in many parts of the world.
Going deeper, the article looks at:
why is religion is declining in certain regions?
why are these declines accelerating in the 21st century?
why is the decline uneven across different areas?
The paper also explores the idea that automation, specifically robotics and AI technology, may reduce the instrumental value of religion by providing secular alternatives to fulfill human needs. At the same time, the concept of human exceptionalism—the perception that automation allows humans to do things beyond human ability—may contribute to the decrease in religiosity.
The study presents evidence from multiple studies and experiments to support these hypotheses. In a series of five studies, researchers explored the relationship between automation, specifically artificial intelligence (AI), and declining religious belief.
The first study examined global data and found that nations and regions with high levels of industrial robot use had seen the fastest declines in religiosity.
The second study focused on the United States and found that metropolitan areas with higher rates of robotics growth also had lower levels of religiosity.
The third study analyzed longitudinal survey data from New Zealand and found that occupational exposure to AI was associated with lower levels of religiosity among individuals and declining belief in God over time.
The fourth study followed employees in a manufacturing plant in Indonesia as it integrated AI technology and found that occupational AI exposure was associated with religious decline within the organization.
The fifth study, an experiment, revealed that learning about advances in AI led to greater reductions in religious conviction compared to learning about other scientific advances.
The researchers concluded that automation, particularly AI, is linked to religious decline at an individual and national level. They suggest that automation may satisfy instrumental human needs and encourage a shift away from religion.