When tech gets religion: How churches use data and AI

18 days ago

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Churches are increasingly using biometric surveillance and AI to track congregants, including facial recognition for attendance and security.
Gloo, a faith-tech company, provides churches with data analytics and AI tools to manage spiritual health like customer engagement.
Gloo integrates data from various sources, including social profiles and health records, to create detailed spiritual profiles for targeted outreach.
The company has partnerships with major denominations and has acquired multiple ministry tools to expand its services.
Gloo's AI tools include 'Data Engine' and 'Aspen', a spiritually safe chatbot powered by a Christian-aligned language model.
Facial recognition technology like Churchix is used in churches without congregants' knowledge, raising privacy concerns.
Legal and ethical concerns arise as churches collect sensitive data without robust governance or transparency.
Experts warn that the lack of regulation around biometric surveillance and data usage in churches could lead to misuse.
Gloo's terms and conditions limit legal action by congregants, favoring arbitration and restricting data privacy rights.
The convergence of faith and technology is reshaping pastoral care but also raising questions about trust and privacy.

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