Chatbots as oracles: How AI is giving new life to the ancient practice of seeking answers from inscrutable sources

In the modern era, individuals are increasingly seeking guidance from artificial intelligence, particularly in matters that elude human comprehension. A Pew Research study from 2026 revealed that 10% of Americans utilize chatbots for emotional support or companionship. This trend extends to more profound inquiries, as evident in a substantial study of 1.1 million ChatGPT conversations, where 49% of interactions involved users seeking information or advice to make informed decisions.

One notable example is Ask Delphi, an AI-based platform addressing ethical or moral dilemmas. In just a few weeks, it garnered 3 million queries. The creators, researchers from the Allen Institute for AI and the University of Washington, did not intend for it to serve as a moral authority but recognized that users might perceive it as such. The name "Ask Delphi" unintentionally evoked the Delphic oracle, an ancient Greek priestess who entered a trance state to receive answers from Apollo, the god of prophecy.

Throughout history, societies have turned to enigmatic sources for counsel when human judgment fell short. Oracles, prophets, and divination practices offered guidance from sources beyond ordinary understanding. As an anthropologist with a focus on religion and an AI researcher, the resurgence of the ancient oracle concept in the context of conversational AI is intriguing. Both ancient oracles and modern AI systems are consulted about complex questions that surpass individual knowledge.

However, the processes AI employs to arrive at answers remain opaque, much like the workings of ancient oracles. Modern AI systems, while seemingly infallible, operate through intricate computations that are challenging for users and even their creators to fully understand. The use of randomness in oracular techniques generates an air of mystery, reinforcing the perception of these systems as divine sources of insight.

This opacity is integral to the oracle's authority, as users seeking transcendent wisdom do not require knowledge of the underlying mechanisms.

Interestingly, the oracle concept made its way into computer science, acquiring a precise mathematical meaning in 1939. Alan Turing introduced "oracle machines," mathematical models capable of consulting external sources for answers beyond the machine's reach. In both scientific and religious domains, oracles provide solutions to problems unsolvable within existing systems.