October Release
At a glance
Nearly Unanimous
Nearly all pastors (94%) and most practicing Christians (63%) say AI should connect a person to a human helper right away when the person mentions an intent or plan for suicide or self-harm.
Pastors Lead
In eight of 10 situations tested, pastors are more likely than practicing Christians to say AI should hand off right away, by double digits.
The Biggest Split
Seven in 10 pastors (71%) say AI should hand off right away, compared to about one in three practicing Christians (32%).
Recent research from Barna and Gloo reveals a significant divide between Protestant pastors and practicing Christians regarding when AI should hand off a person in crisis to a human helper. While nearly all pastors (94%) believe AI should immediately connect users discussing suicide or self-harm to a human, only 63% of practicing Christians agree. These findings highlight a critical need for churches and developers to establish clear guidelines for AI discernment and crisis intervention.
Related Research
