Religious bodies warn of AI being used to undermine religion

Religious leaders under the Nigeria Religious Coalition on Artificial Intelligence (NRCAI) have raised concerns over what they described as the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to undermine religion and spread conspiracy theories questioning the existence of God.

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The coalition, comprising the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and Jamiatul Nasril Islam (JNI), made the remarks on Monday at a one-day media training in Lagos.

The training, held simultaneously across the country, had its South-west edition facilitated by the CCN–Institute of Church and Society, Oyo State, with support from the Future of Life Institute, United States.

‘Deliberate misinformation’

In his remarks, the General Secretary of CCN, Evans Onyemara, said the coalition is troubled by what it sees as a deliberate effort to spread misinformation using AI tools.

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Mr Onyemara said they are aware that Nigerian youth are being targeted, and that the demographic accounts for a large share of the nation’s population.

“Adding to it their mastery of the usage of technology, phones and AI, it then becomes clear that the campaign is a strategic one to discredit a religion at the expense of another. It should never be allowed to gain traction,” he said.

He linked this trend to a widespread return to traditional faith and worship, particularly evident in the southeastern part of the country.

‘AI cannot replace God’

The Director CCN–Institute of Church and Society, Kolade Fadahunsi, said while AI offers opportunities, it must not be deployed in ways that distort local religious norms and cultural practices.

**Kolade Fadahunsi, the director of CCN—Institute of Church and Society speaking to participants at the training on Monday**

Mr Fadahunsi noted that AI cannot replace God, and the creation of AI is one of God’s creatures.

“Hence, it should only be used to advance order and not create chaos. Religious perspectives should not be distorted,” he said.

Similarly, Philip Jakpor, the executive director of Renevlyn Development Initiative, warned that Africa risks cultural erosion if it fails to shape the development and use of AI technologies in ways that respect religion, norms, and culture.

Mr Jakpor said global trends in the evolving AI world have shown that indigenous cultures and religions are being eroded because current AI systems rely on large datasets that promote Western viewpoints and nuanced cultural narratives.

Africa missing in AI race

Mr Jakpor noted that while countries like the United States and China are currently investing billions in AI creation, adaptation and deployment, Africa remains largely absent.

He attributed this to limited infrastructure, low local representation of data, and high implementation costs.

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He also expressed concern over what he described as the Nigerian government’s failure to include faith-based organisations in discussions around AI regulation and deployment.

He urged the media to strengthen their capacity to report on AI and religion, verify scientific claims and encourage Nigerians to co-create AI solutions that align with national interests and cultural values.

At the training, Vennesa Adie and Tope Oluwaleye led sessions on reporting on AI and religion, as well as guides on using AI tools.