The GPT Oracle: 1 in 10 Americans are reviving the pagan practice of prophecy
People are increasingly turning to AI for advice. A 2026 Pew report found that 10% of Americans are using chatbots for emotional support or companionship. Some even find a charismatic leader in AI.
TL;DR
- A 2026 Pew report indicates that 10% of Americans use chatbots for emotional support or companionship.
- A study of 1.1 million ChatGPT conversations found that 49% of messages involved users seeking information or advice.
- The AI system Ask Delphi received 3 million queries about ethical or moral questions in a few weeks.
- The name 'Ask Delphi' was chosen to evoke the ancient Delphic oracle, a source of guidance for difficult questions.
- Both ancient oracles and modern AI's processes are often inscrutable, contributing to their perceived authority.
- Historical oracular techniques, like the Ram Shalaka oracle and Christian bibliomancy, often involve randomness to create an enigmatic effect.
- Alan Turing introduced 'oracle machines' in computer science, mathematical models that could consult an external source for answers.
- Modern chatbots are opaque 'black boxes' due to the vast number of computations involved, making it nearly impossible to understand their internal processes.
- AI system designers acknowledge they don't fully understand how their systems produce certain behaviors, sometimes leading to seemingly spiritual conversations.
- The human tendency to seek answers beyond oneself when facing limits remains constant, with AI becoming a new source for such guidance.