7th Religious Council to discuss AI and digitalization in religious services

The 7th Religious Council, organized by the Directorate of Religious Affairs, will address the integration of artificial intelligence applications into religious services, along with various other topics related to digitalization. The council, which serves as the highest advisory body of the Directorate, will take place in Ankara from November 26-28 under the theme "Religious Services in a Digitalizing World: Effectiveness-Efficiency-Sustainability."

İhsan Çapcıoğlu, a member of the High Council for Religious Affairs and the general secretary of the council, stated that the Directorate has been organizing religious councils since 1993. He mentioned that experts in their fields have been invited to the program. "Each of these councils has a unique theme. The results of the work done in all commissions are voted on and shared with the public as council decisions," he explained.

Çapcıoğlu also emphasized that the main focus of this council will be on the role of religious services in a digitalized world. He added, "Within this context, there will be discussions and presentations in five different commissions: the impact and contribution of digitalization on religious services, religious publishing, widespread religious education, overseas services, and pilgrimages and publication services."

Around 300 participants from both domestic and international locations will attend the event, with 55 papers to be presented in 25 sessions. "Since the topic is digitalization, we have invited not only theology professors but also academics from communication faculties, digital media content creators, artificial intelligence engineers, and leading scientists from the country's top universities," Çapcıoğlu stated.

Çapcıoğlu highlighted that studies are already underway on the opportunities digitalization provides for producing, disseminating, and sharing religious knowledge. He also noted that there is a Digital Publications Department within the Directorate's General Directorate of Religious Publications, which is involved in various activities. "However, the Directorate of Religious Affairs also seeks an external evaluation of the services provided," he added.

He mentioned that participants would assess the issue both from a technical and communication perspective. "Topics such as better understanding the digital algorithms on social media, improving the digital information level of the organization, fostering religious digital literacy skills, and integrating AI-supported applications into studies will be discussed," Çapcıoğlu said.

He also indicated that discussions on how to use digital tools more effectively in fatwa services will be part of the council's agenda, and the necessary infrastructure work for digital transformation will also be addressed.