Why are there so many AI images of Jesus on social media? 

With the advent of AI generated images on the web, social media users may have noticed a new trend: many generated images of Jesus appearing on Facebook. 

The AI images of Jesus that have flooded the platform depict Him in various unusual ways.  

In a preprint paper about the phenomenon from Stamford University, academics Renee DiResta and Josh A. Goldstein observe there is a link between the images and a number of online scams. 

[The] capacity to produce captivating, novel, and immersive imagery, cheaply and instantly, and to immediately double down on wins that generate significant engagement, is … what makes the technology appealing to spammers and scammers. 

As Ryan Broderick wrote in Garbage Day, the number of people writing ‘Amen’ in response to these posts is increasing: 

As I wrote in October, The “Amen” comment is a new growth hack on Facebook. You get people to say “Amen,” underneath a post, the post gets recommended to others, who say “Amen,” as well, etc. This is especially powerful on the platform right now because as news has been deprioritised on the platform, a lot more religious content has bubbled to the surface. 

As Modern Relics’ Rohan Salmond writes, the phenomenon is likely a result of bots programed to farm engagement. 

“My own theory is there’s a bunch of bots and hijacked accounts posting “Amen” below religious-themed Facebook content, which then encourages actual religious people to post “Amen” as well,” he wrote in his latest edition. 

For more on unusual internet trends and faith, visit Modern Relics here.