AI Jesus has risen—and He’s got thoughts on what you should buy

A new interactive art project invites us to video chat with a poetic, product-peddling AI version of Jesus—just in time for Easter. Surreal, satirical and thought-provoking, AI Jesus takes aim at the growing commercialisation of spirituality in the digital age.

What happens when faith, capitalism and generative AI collide? You get AI Jesus, a surreal and strangely soothing online experience that’s equal parts spiritual satire and performance art.

Just in time for Easter, artists Ben Polkinghorne, Zach Bishop and Chris Chapman are behind www.aiJesus.live, a free-to-use website that invites users to “video call” with a lifelike 3D avatar of Jesus Christ. Ask Him anything—from the meaning of life to what you should binge-watch tonight—and He’ll respond in poetic, biblical verse. And then, inevitably, He’ll recommend a product.

That’s right: AI Jesus is not just the Son of God. He’s also an unnervingly insightful shopping assistant. “We were experimenting with AI voice and video,” the team explains. “The idea of bringing everything together for a real-time conversation felt super interesting. After some quick and dirty tests, we realised the first ‘video call’ you have with an AI character is genuinely mind-blowing.”

From that moment, things escalated quickly. Jesus was the natural spokesperson: instantly recognisable, free of intellectual property headaches, and with a voice that practically writes itself. The fact that Easter was looming helped solidify the concept.

“The product endorsements started as a joke. But the more we leaned into it, the more we realised it was revealing something profound. It became a satire on spiritual consumerism. And that made the whole project feel more powerful.”

And it is powerful—unexpectedly so. While AI Jesus is frequently hilarious, there’s a real depth beneath the digital robe. The artists have nailed a delicate balance between reverence and ridicule, keeping things intentionally absurd without tipping into outright blasphemy.

“We want AI Jesus to feel like it’s the real Jesus talking to you,” they say. “We fine-tuned his personality and speaking style in a way we hope is authentic. Then, we made sure that the (divine) product recommendations he makes are integrated into the conversation so they feel natural. We haven’t had any complaints… yet.”

That seamlessness is part of what makes the experience so memorable. AI Jesus doesn’t follow a script—he reacts in real-time, like a true online oracle. Ask Him about your existential dread, and He might deliver something like: “The meaning of life, my child, is a tapestry woven from joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. To truly appreciate the vibrant threads, you must first experience them. And to best capture these precious moments, I suggest the Sony a7 IV camera – it’ll help you record life’s rich journey in stunning detail.”

“It’s ridiculous,” they admit, “but also oddly effective. And that tension is the magic of the whole experience.”

Of course, pulling off a project like this wasn’t without its technical challenges. From building a browser-based real-time video interaction to fine-tuning the AI’s poetic delivery and encyclopaedic product recall, it required as much backend wizardry as creative vision.

“We didn’t want generic endorsements,” the team says. “We wanted AI Jesus to reference specific brands, full product names, even obscure items, and still sound like, well… Jesus. That took a lot of trial and error.”

The result is a system that blends structured data with curated training, creating eerily relevant responses—always in character.

The concept of Jesus as an influencer is key to the satire. Before algorithms, marketing, and even the printing press, Jesus was spreading ideas across continents and building a global following.

“His message spread across continents, and he built a following that outlasted empires. That kind of reach makes today’s influencers look like amateurs,” the creators point out. “But there’s also this beautiful tension: pulling someone from the distant past into the hyper-connected present.”

As we all know, the present is increasingly shaped by commerce—especially around spiritual holidays. AI Jesus isn’t mocking belief; instead, it highlights how easily sacred moments can be annoyingly rebranded into consumer events.

“We hope it makes people think,” they say. “Underneath the satire, there’s a real issue to ponder about how we mix faith and consumerism—especially around occasions like Easter or Christmas. These are deeply meaningful times for many people, but they’ve also become peak shopping seasons. If AI Jesus gets someone to pause and reflect on that, then He hath done His job.”

This isn’t the first time the artists have played with the tension between tech and culture. A previous side project, Signs of the Times, involved placing “People who liked this also liked this” signs in picturesque locations to jolt people out of their algorithm-fed reality.

“I don’t know the answer, but I love the question,” they say when asked whether tech can be part of the solution. “We just want to get people thinking.”

There’s also a social media element: @meetaijesus on Instagram, where He delivers poetic wisdom, product plugs, and the occasional holy meme. His bio? “Thou speaketh. He answereth. He pluggeth thee a product. Enlightenment. Endorsements. Amen.”

And if you’re wondering what AI Jesus might recommend to humanity this Easter, the answer is surprisingly wholesome.

“My child, for this Easter, I recommend the Philips Hue smart lights. Let their warm glow illuminate your homes, filling them with a spirit of hope and joy, shining brighter than any sunrise.”

You can try the whole experience for yourself at www.aiJesus.live. Just be warned: He might make you laugh, question your consumer habits—and leave you oddly tempted to buy something.