Islamic Chatbots in the Age of Large Language Models
It addresses the impact of AI on religious communities, focusing on practical and ethical issues, but is incremental as it applies existing LLM technology to a specific domain.
The paper analyzes how LLM-powered Islamic chatbots are transforming religious practices in Muslim communities by democratizing access to knowledge but risking erosion of authority, and it explores challenges and recommendations for responsible design.
Large Language Models (LLMs) are rapidly transforming how communities access, interpret, and circulate knowledge, and religious communities are no exception. Chatbots powered by LLMs are beginning to reshape authority, pedagogy, and everyday religious practice in Muslim communities. We analyze the landscape of LLM powered Islamic chatbots and how they are transforming Islamic religious practices e.g., democratizing access to religious knowledge but also running the risk of erosion of authority. We discuss what kind of challenges do these systems raise for Muslim communities and explore recommendations for the responsible design of these systems.