A new Artificial Intelligence application – ‘Magisterium AI’ – is now available as a resource for those seeking a ‘digest’ of official Catholic Church teaching on any question.

The answers provided by the app are derived from a processing of over 2,500 church documents, with more such documents still being absorbed.

(Further below there is a sample answer from Magisterium AI to the vital question of the meaning of the Crucifixion of Jesus. Readers can make up their own minds on whether this is an impressive answer to that question.)

According to Matthew Sanders, creator of Magisterium AI, the difference between it and other AI tools such as ChatGPT is that “our AI is trained on a private database of only Church documents,” making it less likely that Magisterium AI will “make stuff up”.

Sanders doesn’t claim that the tool should be used on its own as an authoritative source, but that it can be a useful point of reference for those who study church teaching, especially at university or seminary level.  The App itself advises its users: “When in doubt consult a human.”

The app is reportedly able to generate responses in 10 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Chinese, and Korean. It is reportedly being used in over 125 countries.

To read the CRUX article about the arrival of Magisterium AI, click here.

Click here to go to Magisterium AI.

Magisterium AI on sample question :  ‘Why did Jesus accept Crucifixion?’

“Jesus accepted crucifixion because it was part of God’s plan for the salvation of humanity. The crucifixion was not a failure or defeat, but a humble victory over evil and sin. Jesus willingly took upon himself the suffering and death on the cross to conquer evil and to show God’s great humility and love for humanity ¹.

“The crucifixion of Jesus was the ultimate act of love, where he sacrificed himself out of love for all humanity. It was through his death on the cross that Jesus demonstrated the radical love of God and offered salvation to all, regardless of their condition or sinfulness ².

“Jesus’ acceptance of crucifixion also fulfilled the prophecies and scriptures, as he became the suffering servant who emptied himself, even unto death, to show his love for us ³.

“By accepting crucifixion, Jesus showed us the truth about man and the truth about God. He revealed that we have all been created and redeemed by a God who sacrificed his only Son out of love ⁴.

“In summary, Jesus accepted crucifixion as part of God’s plan for the salvation of humanity. It was an act of love, humility, and obedience to the Father’s will. Through his crucifixion, Jesus conquered evil, demonstrated God’s radical love, and offered salvation to all.

References

1. General Audience of 16 April 2014
2. General Audience of 28 September 2016: 31. Forgiveness on the Cross (cfr Lk 23:39-43)
3. General Audience of 27 March 2013
4. 26 March 2006: Pastoral visit to the Roman Parish of “Dio Padre Misericordioso”