Need to know the Bible’s stance on expertise? There’s an AI chatbot for that.
Only a few years in the past, consultants had been predicting a mass decline of Christianity. The proportion of People figuring out as Christian has fallen virtually 20 factors since 2000, whereas the inhabitants of non-affiliates was rising. However that decline has stalled out round 70%, staying steady because the late 2010s. In the meantime, Bible gross sales are up 22% year-over-year via the top of October, thanks partially to first-time buyers. And Christian apps are using that surge of recognition.
Tech experts have formally intermixed software program and religion. Hallow, a Catholic prayer steerage app, topped the App Retailer this Lent. Beneath it, dozens of apps give customers entry to Bible verses and examine strategies, spiritual chatbots, and Church companies. These apps pull in thousands and thousands on in-app purchases alone. Believers can formally discover God within the Church, within the liturgy, and now of their telephone.
Christian tech’s progress spurt
Hallow leads the pack amongst these new-age Christian tech corporations, racking up over 22 million downloads. (You’ve possible stumbled upon considered one of their advert campaigns, lots of which characteristic actor Mark Wahlberg, who has an ownership stake within the firm.) Lately, the corporate’s Creation prayer problem went viral thanks largely to Gwen Stefani’s promotion of the app.
Hallow has so far acquired over $100 million in funding, with right-wing billionaire Peter Thiel and incoming Vice President J.D. Vance amongst its benefactors. Whereas customers could partake within the free model, expanded entry requires customers to cough up $69.99/yr. In keeping with Appfigures, Hallow made $2.5 million in November on in-app purchases alone.
Different Christian apps are discovering success, too. Bible Chat, an AI chatbot educated solely on the Bible, at present leads amongst spiritual apps within the App Retailer. They’re second on the Reference chart, solely behind Google Translate, and have been downloaded seven million instances since their 2023 launch. That’s to not be confused with Bible Chat AI, a budding chatbot that’s answered 5.5 million questions from over 100,000 customers. (In an e mail, a consultant from Bible Chat warns that there are “vastly inferior copycats plaguing the Christian religion sector.”)
After all, tech isn’t simply getting used to exchange conventional observe; it will probably additionally help church operations. Tithe.ly affords Church buildings a method to obtain tithes and donations on-line. Utilized by over 39,000, Tithe.ly skims just below 3% off all charitable contributions. The corporate has pulled collectively some main funding rounds, with a 2019 Series F spherical that scored $15 million.
The outdated guard of spiritual apps
Whereas these new-age apps develop, the outdated guard is holding robust. Many customers nonetheless have use for the standard Bible app; they don’t want the bells and whistles of a chatbot. The kingpin of those corporations is YouVersion, which affords the Bible App, Bible App Lite, and Bible App for Children.
In 2024, 71 million customers put in YouVersion’s Bible app, of its cumulative 681 million downloads. The app data spectacular engagement, with 3.4 billion highlights, bookmarks, and notes created in 2024.
Are we experiencing a Christian revival? It’s arduous to inform. What we do know is that these apps are rising quickly, selecting up God-fearing customers alongside the best way.