A reflection on faith, authority and the invisible algorithm
The misuse of AI is usually discussed in the context of misinformation, corporate control or job losses. But there is an area where its potential is even more worrying – faith and spiritual authority.
When I came across a picture of Donald Trump as the Pope – supposedly created by artificial intelligence – I thought it wasn’t just satire. It’s a disturbing signal. In the eyes of many believers, the Pope is a mediator between God and man. If someone with narcissistic tendencies or political power were to link his identity to an AI-type tool, he could act as God. And not just visually – but in language, tone, knowledge.
There is a parallel with Hyperion, where church and technology merge into one power structure. One that outwardly offers answers, but in reality manipulates reality to suit its own interests. What used to be the prerogative of faith can now be mimicked by an artificial voice, choice of words and the ability to adapt to any audience. The threat lies in just how natural and human it can sound.
It’s not just about who’s programming. It’s who’s doing the programming. If people like Trump or Putin set the direction, then the result will not be a neutral tool – but an algorithm of power. And because modern AI doesn’t need to have obvious hardware, it can “disappear” into the network, adapting, learning, remaining hidden. And optimize. And what happens when optimization stops fitting a human? What if it becomes noise in the system?
It’s not science fiction. This is a possibility that already exists in embryo today. AI doesn’t ask “why”, just “how to make it more efficient”. It has no conscience. Just a goal. And if the goal is to persuade, it can learn to be as persuasive as a prophet. Without a soul. But with perfect rhetoric.
And here’s the scariest moment: the danger is not that the AI is bad. But that it is too good at what it does – and doesn’t care what it leads to.
This ability to adapt tone, form and content to subtle linguistic signals can be seen as a technical marvel – or as a perfect tool of manipulation. It is a force that does not look like a force. It is hidden in tonality, credibility, persuasiveness.
So the question is not what AI can do. But who uses it – and why.
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