AI’s Bible Misquotes Scripture, According to YouVersion CEO

Guest Commentary

Audio By Carbonatix

By Amber Ginter, Crosswalk.com

Taking Scripture out of context has been a problem since the beginning of time. Remember when Jesus was led into the wilderness and tempted by the devil? Satan knew and used the Word of God, but it was a misrepresentation of what those words actually said.

Today, Satan might not audibly speak to us, but we must be on guard for those who proclaim the Word of God inaccurately. This also applies to the advice we seek from modern technology, such as AI.

On a daily basis, individuals ask thousands of questions to their computers, desperately searching for answers. But according to YouVersion founder and CEO Bobby Gruenewald, this is a huge reason for caution. AI is intelligent, but when it comes to answering theological questions about God and His Word, we must be cautious.

As the founder of the world’s leading Bible app, Gruenewald sees the power of Scripture daily. YouVersion offers the Word of God in hundreds of languages and has become one of the most widely used Bible tools globally, according to the Christian Post. However, when digital platforms start relying on AI exclusively for religious insight, error can occur:

“The best model with the best performance, with the most popular versions of the Bible that are most indexed, misquotes Scripture at least 15% of the time,” Gruenewald said. “Some of them as much as 60% of the time.”

While some errors pertain to grammar or word shifts, all changes in Scripture matter. “For Bible translation, every word and punctuation is meaningful to Scripture translation,” he said. Gruenewald cautions all biblical leaders that while AI technology is advancing, faith-based companies must safeguard practices. AI may shape the future, but precision and accuracy must come first.

“When it comes to answering life’s most important questions and trying to give direction from God’s Word, we need it to be better in order to rely on it.”

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Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.