JORAS - Nigerian Journal of Religion and Society

Anchored on recent human technology, questions are agog whether liturgical celebrations and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can co?exist or not. These questions emanate from myriad standpoints of convergence and divergence premised on many assumptions. For instance, AI refers to computer systems that can perform tasks that historically required human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, worshipping, and problemsolving on their subject matters. Admittedly, AI learns from extensive data and experience. However, AI prevents the public nature of the liturgy that requires physical presence from happening. Celebrants and participants rely on automated machines for worship from their church premises and comfort zones. When one is physically present at the liturgy, it is expected that one responds to the parts of the liturgical celebrations as designated. For AI, the sense of physical contact, ethical concerns, faith, and obligations might be lacking and one's participation might end up being more of a spectator than a worshipper. Accordingly, the writer is not unaware of these dangers of over?reliance on AI, as well as the possible compatibility of liturgical formation with AI?powered devices. This is the task of this paper? to establish whether mutual relationship exists between both, or, that they are acts of strange bedfellows.

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