A California tech company, Just Like Me, is monetizing spiritual interactions by offering video calls with an AI-generated Jesus Christ for $1.99 (£1.48) per minute. This service could cost users upwards of $600 (£447) annually, transforming the evangelical concept of a “personal relationship with Jesus” into a subscription model. The digital Jesus, inspired visually by Jonathan Roumie from The Chosen, utilizes King James Bible teachings for interactions. CEO Chris Breed emphasizes the sense of accountability users feel towards the AI. Critics, like podcast host Graham Martin, draw parallels to televangelism, cautioning against emotional attachments to artificial personalities claiming religious significance. Concerns also arise from experts regarding the impact of AI on mental health, highlighting cases linked to user dependency on AI characters. As the faith-based AI market expands, transparency about AI identity is becoming crucial, especially with legislative measures like California’s Senate Bill 243 set to take effect in 2026.
