A religion based around a robot god will succeed because humans tend to 'worship supreme understanding', experts have claimed.

One researcher has said the same drive that compels people to believe in higher beings and follow religions will also work for so-called AI 'Godheads'.

Others have commented that, like religion, people will eventually rely on a 'robot messiah' to solve society's problems.

Last month, former Uber and Google engineer Anthony Levandowski formed the first church to follow an artificially intelligent being.

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A religion based around a robot god will attract followers because humans tend to 'worship supreme understanding', experts have claimed. Others have commented that, like religion, people will eventually rely on AI to solve society's problems (stock image)

WAY OF THE FUTURE Former Uber and Google engineer Anthony Levandowski formed the first church to follow an artificially intelligent being in November. The religion, known as 'Way of the Future' (WOTF), claims our species can better itself by following the instructions of a robot that is 'a billion times smarter than humans'. It will eventually have a gospel called 'The Manual', rituals and even a physical place of worship, Levandowski claims. Workshops and educational programs have already begun in the San Francisco area. Levandowski says everything in the church will be open source and members of the church would have special social media accounts. He has appointed four other people to the Council of Advisers and the listing says each week they will spend a few hours organising workshops and meetings. In 2017, the Internal Revenue Service listed the religion as having received $20,000 (£15,000) in gifts, $1,500 (£1,100) in membership fees and $20,000 (£15,000) in other revenue. WOTF has $7,500 (£5,700) put aside for wages, although Levandowski, who earned $120 million (£91 million) from Google, says he will not receive any money. Advertisement

The religion, known as 'Way of the Future', claims our species can better itself by following the instructions of a robot that is 'a billion times smarter than humans'.

Now AI expert and lawyer John Mitchell has said humans have a tendency to 'worship supreme understanding', and that this also applies to AI.

'We [believe] there must be some higher power that causes lightning, sunsets, and crashing waves - or at least speaks to the bottom of our beings, rather than ignore them as ho-hum background,' he told Fox News.

Mr Mitchell said the same thing could happen with AI, adding that robots could help us better understand religion.

Dr Stephen Thaler, President and CEO of Imagination Engines and an AI and consciousness expert, said people will rely on AI to solve society's problems.

'An AI would provide the equivalent of a "messiah" - having many orders of magnitude more processing elements than the brain, enabling it to gift us with solutions to the most daunting social, political, economic, and environmental challenges,' he said.

But if AI develops this level of intelligence, it might choose not to be worshipped, said author and consultant Peter Scott.

'I would expect the AIs that evolve in the next 50 years to be very rational and, if conscious, not want to be worshipped,' he said.

'If they have the human race's best interests at heart (and God help us if they don't) then they would want us to have as much right of self determination as possible.'

The new comments come just a month after Way Of The Future (WOTF) was officially registered as a religion by Anthony Levandowski.

The ex-Google engineer, who first announced plans for the creed in May, says he is 'raising a god' that will that charge of humans.

WOTF will eventually have a gospel called 'The Manual', as well as rituals and even a physical place of worship.

Anthony Levandowski (right) who has registered the first church of AI says he is 'raising a god' that will treat humans as esteemed elders. He is pictured with Uber founder and ex-CEO Travis Kalanick. Levandowski is also currently at the heart of a legal fight between Google and Uber

Levandowski named himself as 'dean' of WOTF, giving him complete control until his death or resignation.

He said his robot god, which will be a 'billion times smarter than humans' will take charge of its subjects, who will relinquish power to a being of higher intelligence.

The filed documents for WOTF give its purpose is to 'develop and promote the realisation of a Godhead based on Artificial Intelligence'.

Workshops and educational programs have already begun in the San Francisco area.

Dr Stephen Thaler, President and CEO of Imagination Engines and an AI and consciousness expert, said people will one day rely on AI to solve society's problems (stock image)

Levandowski says everything in the church will be open source and members of the church would have special social media accounts.

He has appointed four other people to the Council of Advisers and the listing says each week they will spend a few hours organising workshops and meetings.

In 2017, the Internal Revenue Service listed the religion as having received $20,000 (£15,000) in gifts, $1,500 (£1,100) in membership fees and $20,000 (£15,000) in other revenue.

WOTF has $7,500 (£5,700) put aside for wages, although Levandowski, who earned $120 million (£91 million) from Google, says he will not receive any money.