A third of Christians trust spiritual advice from AI as much as pastor: study

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Thursday, February 26, 2026

About a third of practicing American Christians say the spiritual advice they get from artificial intelligence is just as good as that from a pastor, with practicing Christians more likely to agree with this notion than non-practicing Christians and non-Christians, according to new research from the Barna Group.

The data was collected as part of Barna’s "State of the Church" initiative in partnership with Gloo, a leading technology platform connecting the faith ecosystem to advance human flourishing. The latest findings were released at the National Religious Broadcasters  International Christian Media Convention in Tennessee last week. 

In a survey of over 1,514 U.S. adults conducted in November 2025, researchers found nearly a third of U.S. adults (30%) now "somewhat" or "strongly" agree that spiritual advice from AI "is as trustworthy as advice from a pastor," the data shows. And among Generation Z and millennials, that share jumps to 39% and 40%, respectively.

About a third (34%) of practicing Christians somewhat or strongly agreed that AI advice is just as trustworthy as advice from a pastor, while 29% of non-practicing Christians and 27% of non-Christians agreed with this sentiment. 

The findings show that AI is "influencing everyday spiritual habits," researchers note in a report. 

Four in 10 Christians say AI has helped them with prayer, Bible study and spiritual growth. Data from a December survey of over 442 Protestant pastors in the U.S. shows that more than 41% of pastors report using AI for Bible study preparation.

"At the same time, many church leaders acknowledge uncertainty," Barna researchers wrote.

The Barna study found that while about a third of practicing Christians expressed a desire for guidance from their pastors on navigating technology, only 12% of pastors say they are comfortable teaching on the matter.

“Though the majority of practicing Christians remain the most cautious about embracing AI as a spiritual tool, their views are shifting and remain largely uninformed by their pastor,” Daniel Copeland, Barna’s vice president of research, said in a statement on the research. “There’s a real opportunity here for pastors to disciple their congregants on how to use this technology in a beneficial way.”

The Barna data comes as the December 2025 "State of AI in the Church Survey Report," prepared by AiForChurchLeaders.com and Exponential AI NEXT, reports that nearly two-thirds of church leaders surveyed who prepare sermons said they use AI tools in their sermon writing process. The data from that report is based on responses from 594 pastors and church staff members. ChatGPT and Grammarly were reported as the top two AI tools used.

The latest findings from Barna research also highlight the influence of Christian media.

Based on a February 2025 survey of 2,025 U.S. adults, Barna found that nearly two-thirds (61%) engaged with Christian media in some form, while half (51%) said they engaged weekly.

Two in three U.S. adults also see Christian media as "valuable" and "trustworthy." Some 45% of those who consume Christian media frequently, however, judged the content as "divisive," while another 40% said it makes “Christians look bad.” 

“As trust in mainstream media has declined in recent years, it’s encouraging to see that confidence in Christian media remains relatively high,” Scott Beck, Gloo co-founder and CEO said in a statement. “What a privilege to release these findings at an event full of Christian broadcasters and leaders who can return to their respective cities inspired to continue to do the important work they are doing to help people flourish and communities thrive.”

Compared to just over two years ago, the use of AI has increased by 80% across all ministries in churches, and a growing share of people have been turning to apps like Text With Jesus for spiritual guidance, The Christian Post recently reported.

As the rapid adoption of AI in church life continues, Pastor Ray Miller of First Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas, has warned against the technology becoming "another type of idol pulling at our attention."

“Often, people turn to AI because they do not have another human being or pastor or priest to turn to, and it becomes convenient. With discernment and care, I believe we can develop some best practices when it comes to AI usage for churches and use for faith in general," he told CP.

"We are living in the midst of a technological revolution unseen in human history since the advent of the printing press. That technological shift had profound implications for faith, as the Bible was finally placed in the hands of the people,” he explained.

"As we begin to sift through what AI will do to us as humans, the Church will have to help answer the question: what does it mean to be human, to be made in God's image in an age of digital AI?” he added. "We will have to double down on discipling people to develop their own slow interactive relationship with God.”