AI is changing pilgrims’ journeys, but sacred journeys have always adapted to new technology
From the printing press to smartphone apps, technology has continually transformed the experience of sacred journeys. A scholar of trails and walking explains the history.
In 2025, two scholars of religion embarked on a multiday pilgrimage along the Kumano Kodō trail in Japan, guided by an artificial intelligence assistant. This AI companion was trained to suit their travel needs, including translation. They observed that their hike became a test case for how pilgrimage might evolve in the digital age.
"Our hike became a test case for how pilgrimage might evolve in the digital age – not being diminished by AI, but reimagined through it," they wrote in the International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage. The use of AI tools in religious practices, including pilgrimage, is becoming more prevalent. Pilgrimages have historically adapted to new technologies, from printing presses to steamships, and now AI.
Ancient pilgrimage practices vary across cultures and religions. For example, the Hebrew Bible commands believers to make pilgrimages to Jerusalem three times a year, while early Christians undertook spiritual journeys to places mentioned in the Gospels after the destruction of the Jewish Temple. The printing press made pilgrimages more accessible through travel itineraries, while modern transportation, such as steamships and airplanes, transformed pilgrimages into shorter, more focused experiences.
Information technologies have also shaped Christian pilgrimages, with early guidebooks and modern smartphone apps providing travelers with detailed information about their destinations. Despite concerns from figures like Martin Luther, pilgrimages have persisted and become more accessible through technological advancements, which have streamlined planning, highlighted popular routes, eliminated uncertainties, and enhanced safety and security for pilgrims.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
