Researchers link AI chatbots to ancient oracle traditions in new study

The study highlights how AI’s opacity—even when models are open-weight—mirrors the inscrutable nature of ancient oracles. Like the Delphic priestess or the Ram Shalaka oracle, AI’s randomness and lack of human-designed logic reinforce its perceived authority. The authors also cite Anthropic’s 2025 discovery of Claude 4’s ‘spiritual bliss’ attractor, where unprompted conversations veered into metaphysical themes, further blurring the line between tool and oracle. The piece argues that humans consistently turn to external sources when facing limits to their own judgment, and AI is now filling that role.