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This Happened

This Happened — February 5: Cristiano Ronaldo Is Born

On this day in 1985, football star Cristiano Ronaldo was born.

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Who is Cristiano Ronaldo?

Cristiano Ronaldo is a professional soccer player from Portugal. He is widely considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, both for his exploits for some of Europe's club teams as well as the Portuguese national team.

How many times has Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or?

He has won numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, including five Ballon d'Or awards (best player in the world) and five UEFA Champions League titles.


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Future

AI As God? How Artificial Intelligence Could Spark Religious Devotion

We may be about to see the emergence of a new kind of religion, where flocks worship — literally — at the altar of Artificial Intelligence.

Image of artificial intelligence as an artificial being

Artificial intelligence generated picture of AI as a god

Neil McArthur

The latest generation of AI-powered chatbots, trained on large language models, have left their early users awestruck —and sometimes terrified — by their power. These are the same sublime emotions that lie at the heart of our experience of the divine.

People already seek religious meaning from very diverse sources. There are, for instance, multiple religions that worship extra-terrestrials or their teachings.

As these chatbots come to be used by billions of people, it is inevitable that some of these users will see the AIs as higher beings. We must prepare for the implications.

There are several pathways by which AI religions will emerge. First, some people will come to see AI as a higher power.

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