An AI-generated avatar priest that was launched at the start of the week by a Catholic organisation appears to have been digitally defrocked following criticisms and concerns raised about the experiment in using emerging artificial intelligence technology to bolster the Catholic Faith.

The “Fr. Justin” interactive AI app was launched by Catholic Answers, a US-based media ministry focused on apologetics and evangelisation, to answer questions about the Catholic faith, using material from the Catholic Answers library of resources, such as articles, talks and apologetics materials. ...

But the experiment quickly generated controversy. Concerns ranged from the priest avatar being inappropriate and misleading – if not a bit creepy – to the potential for heresy and the project relying on technology that is unreliable and controversial.