ChatGPT gets 70M requests about religion weekly; most are about Islam, followed by Christianity

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Of the 70 million religion-related requests ChatGPT receives each week, nearly half are about Islam and just over a third are about Christianity, according to a recent analysis by OpenAI, the company that created the artificial intelligence chatbot.

The analysis, reviewed by The Christian Post, shows that from September 2025 to September 2026, about 45% of religion-related requests on ChatGPT were about Islam and 34% were about Christianity. Hinduism followed at 4%, Judaism at 2% and Buddhism at 1%.

Requests about Islam rose around Ramadan and Eid al-Adha, while questions about Christianity increased around Easter, OpenAI found.

The analysis also found that each week, 22 million requests focused on studying religious texts. Another 16 million focused on understanding religious practices and holidays, while a similar share focused on beliefs, meaning and spiritual guidance.

“People ask ChatGPT to explain difficult passages, find relevant commentaries, and help them understand how their traditions approach particular questions,” OpenAI researchers wrote.

Nearly half of Christianity-related messages were about Bible passages, and another 13% were about worship, sermons or church practices.

“People around the world are using AI as a tool to support their religious lives — such as to deepen their understanding of their faith, prepare for religious observance, or participate more fully in their communities,” the report states. “They ask ChatGPT to explain difficult passages in religious texts and find relevant commentaries from scholars within their tradition. Faith leaders are using AI to support their work teaching and organizing those they serve.”

The findings follow recent research from the Barna Group suggesting that practicing Christians use AI at work and in their personal lives more than most Americans, and nearly half say they would trust the technology with their spiritual growth.

Even though practicing Christians already use AI more than their pastors do, Barna found they still want their pastors’ guidance on how to engage with the technology. Only about 12% of pastors feel prepared to offer that guidance.

AI should not replace human interaction in matters of religion, OpenAI researchers stress. 

“AI should help people pursue what matters to them, including their faith, while strengthening rather than replacing human relationships and institutions. Religious life is rooted in shared traditions, personal conviction, and connections among people. AI can support those activities, but it cannot and should not substitute for them,” the researchers wrote.

The researchers added: “AI is not — and should not become — an arbiter of religious truth or a replacement for spiritual guidance. Those roles belong to individuals, religious leaders, and congregations. What AI can do is to give people tools that help them practice their faith, deepen their understanding, and connect more meaningfully with those who share their beliefs.”