As a person of faith raised in a religious household, I have a fairly clear picture of what prayer means to me. Prayer is the practice by which I draw closer to God, petition for my needs and desires, request guidance and ask forgiveness.

The deal has always been that in times of trouble I cast my anxieties and questions and emerge with either some answers or some sustaining sense of peace. Take it to the Lord in prayer, the song goes.

It is unclear to me when a question becomes a prayer, but I suspect it may have less to do with the content of the question and more to do with my expectations in asking it.

I have never thought of ChatGPT as a god – I don’t even think it’s good – nor have I ever asked its forgiveness. However, in moments of confusion, I have watched myself call upon its name for answers almost compulsively.

At first, this was limited to things like searching for recipes and experimenting with its poetry abilities. Then – ironically, playfully – I began asking for its read on my relational dynamics, my habits and occasionally my future.

While I remain rationally aware of its hallucinations and lack of moral obligation, I seem to believe it has something real to offer me in these moments.........

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