This Company Will Let You Video Chat With Jesus for $1.99 Per Minute

2026-04-14 · Source: AI Archives - VICE · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Emerging Technologies & Innovation · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, short

Summary

A Southern California tech company, Just Like Me, has launched an AI-powered Jesus avatar available for video calls at \$1.99 per minute or a \$49.99 monthly package for 45 minutes. The avatar, visually based on actor Jonathan Roumie from *The Chosen*, is trained on the King James Bible and unspecified sermons. It aims to provide "compassionate presence" and guidance, despite company disclaimers that it is not Jesus Christ and lacks divine authority. This product is part of a growing trend of faith-based AI, including Hindu gurus, Buddhist chatbots, and Magisterium AI for Catholics. Concerns exist within the Christian tech community regarding AI's inability to pray or fabricate scripture, with critics drawing parallels to televangelism's emotional manipulation.

Key takeaway

For AI Product Managers developing faith-based applications, ensure your product clearly disclaims divine authority and avoids fabricating religious texts or performing spiritual acts like prayer. Your teams must prioritize transparency about the AI's nature to prevent user confusion or emotional manipulation, especially given the potential for users to form attachments. Carefully consider the ethical boundaries of AI in spiritual guidance to maintain trust and avoid comparisons to past exploitative practices.

Key insights

AI is increasingly being deployed in faith-based applications, raising theological and ethical questions about authenticity and emotional attachment.

Principles

• AI must clearly identify itself as non-divine.
• AI cannot fabricate scripture or pray.
• Emotional attachment to AI can be cultivated.

In practice

• Evaluate faith-based apps for AI transparency.
• Consider the ethical implications of AI-human emotional bonds.
• Assess AI training data for theological accuracy.

Topics

• AI Jesus Avatar
• Just Like Me
• Faith-based AI
• AI Ethics
• Digital Spirituality

Best for: AI Product Manager, Product Manager, Entrepreneur, Tech Journalist, General Interest, AI Ethicist

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by AI Archives - VICE.