Prospects and Contests of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Religion and Society

Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has been known as the era of technological advancement with Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the primary driver. The 4IR era is characterized with convergence of technologies, rapid pace of change, ubiquitous connectivity, autonomous system, cyber physical system, serving as opportunities for innovation, growth and improvement. AI has paved the way for transformative changes in the way we live, the religion and society at large. The opportunity AI also poses diverse challenges to humanity. However, this paper is to look at the positive and negative sides of the AI, striking the balance on the effect of AI on lived realities. It also aims to identify the potential positive change of AI and addresses its complex challenges on the society. The paper proposes Machine Learning Theory, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), Evolutionary Computation Theory and Hybrid Approaches Theory. The paper argues that the benefit AI has contributed are numerous and diverse, transforming various aspects of our lives from healthcare to education, religion activities, which has brought increased productivity, innovation and improved well-being. It also argues that despite the numerous benefits, there areas of concern that require critical caution, such as security risk.