China Cracks Down: AI Preaching, Digital Fortune-Telling and Online Religious Activities Face Sweeping Ban

Beijing draws hard lines in digital sand—no more algorithmic absolutions or crypto-powered crystal balls.

The New Rules

Regulators just dropped the hammer. AI can't sermonize. Digital divination gets the axe. Most online religious practices? Gone. The state reclaims its monopoly on metaphysical marke—er, guidance.

Why It Matters

Control. Always control. Can't have unvetted algorithms competing with state-sanctioned dogma. Or worse, siphoning devotion—and donations—into unauthorized digital coffers. Talk about disruptive technology.

The Bottom Line

Another frontier fenced off. Innovation bows to ideology. Meanwhile, somewhere, a blockchain-based prayer app just crashed harder than a shitcoin on regulatory news.

The rise of China’s temple economy and AI regulation

Money flowing through what is often called the “temple economy” is rising greater than 10% a year. Including ticket sales, donations, rituals, lodging, merchandise and digital services, the sector is on track to surpass $14 billion this year, estimates consultancy Meritco Group. 

Under the new rules, only licensed temples, churches and other authorized religious bodies may preach or conduct training on apps and websites. Beyond that, nearly all commercial activity online is barred. The code outlaws using livestreams or short videos to spread or advertise religion, and forbids establishing groups on WeChat to spread religious content.

Some clergy are commonly suspected of amassing wealth, along with allies in local governments, by turning long-venerated sites into money-making attractions. These temples pull in millions of visitors and pilgrims from across China each year. 

The new rules warn clergy not to use AI to “preach, make, publish, or disseminate illegal information.” It also prohibits practices that it describes as taking online payment for chanting, incense burning, and similar services. “Religious clergy shall not propagate heretical cults or external Buddhist doctrines through the internet, or engage in feudal superstitious activities such as divination and fortune-telling,” the document says.

The guidance does not address private use by ordinary people of AI tools for astrology or fortune-telling. The crackdown coincides with state media reports this week, at least three people linked to Shaolin abbot Shi Yongxin, whose deal-making gave him the nickname “CEO monk,” were detained for questioning.

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