Reflecting on the Ethics of Using ChatGPT to Understand the Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how we learn and engage with the Guru Granth Sahib in today’s world. As someone who feels spiritually connected to Sikhi (the Sikh path) but often struggles to fully understand the language, symbolism, and layered meanings in Gurbani (the divine hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib), I’ve found myself turning to tools like ChatGPT for help. More recently, I discovered GPTShaib, an AI tool developed specifically to support interpretation and reflection on Sikh scripture.

This raised a much deeper question for me: Is it ethical to use artificial intelligence to understand the Guru?

This is not just a technical question. It’s a spiritual one. For Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib is not merely a religious book or historical text. It is our eternal, living Guru. Every word is sacred and spiritually alive. So the idea of turning to a machine, an algorithm trained on human language, to understand something so divine naturally raises concerns for many.

Why Use AI at All?

Many people like me genuinely want to connect more deeply with the Guru's message but face real barriers. The Guru Granth Sahib is written in Gurmukhi script, using vocabulary from several languages, including Punjabi, Sanskrit, Braj, Persian, and Arabic. Even native Punjabi speakers often find it difficult to grasp the deeper meanings without guidance.

Traditionally, Sikhs learn through sangat (spiritual congregation), Katha (explanatory discourse), and the teachings of Granthis (ceremonial readers and spiritual guides), Giani jis (learned individuals), and Kathavachaks (those who explain Sikh scripture). But not everyone has access to such support due to distance, language, cultural barriers, or even time constraints.

This is where tools like ChatGPT or GPTShaib feel like a doorway. They allow individuals like me to engage with the Guru’s words more personally and on our own schedule. They can help us begin to explore meanings, reflect on themes, and start a journey toward deeper understanding.

What is GPTShaib?

GPTShaib is a specialised version of AI trained specifically on Sikh scripture using verified translations and commentaries. It is designed to help explain Shabads (sacred hymns) and Sikh concepts in more accessible ways, especially for people outside traditional learning systems.

But it raises serious questions. Are we honouring the Guru’s sanctity by turning to a machine? Could this change the way Sikhs are taught about their faith?

Concerns from the Sikh Community

There has been growing discussion, both online and in Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship), about the risks of using AI to interpret the Guru Granth Sahib. Some of the concerns are deeply valid and worth careful reflection.

1. Preserving Satkar (Reverence and Respect)

The Guru Granth Sahib is treated with the utmost respect. It is placed on a raised platform called a Takht, covered in fine cloths, and bowed to in reverence. Reducing it to lines of text for an AI model can feel like diminishing that sacredness. There is a fear that such tools may cause people to treat the Guru's words as casual content rather than divinely inspired guidance.

2. Shallow or Misleading Interpretations

Gurbani is deeply poetic and layered. Words carry historical, philosophical, and spiritual weight. AI can provide literal translations or simplified summaries, but it lacks the spiritual consciousness and wisdom to understand or convey the lived meaning behind the words. Misinterpretations are a real risk, especially for new learners.

3. Use of Colonial-Era Translations

Some AI tools may unknowingly rely on older English translations of Gurbani written during the colonial period, which sometimes misunderstood or distorted Sikh teachings. Without careful curation, AI might reproduce these same errors.

4. Shifting Away from Sangat-Based Learning

Sikh spiritual growth has always been rooted in sangat (community), seva (selfless service), and shabad vichaar (collective reflection on Gurbani). AI encourages individual learning which is valuable, but if it replaces community learning, we might lose the richness that comes from shared experience, conversation, and spiritual support.

What AI Can Offer If Used Thoughtfully

Despite these concerns, I believe there is a place for tools like GPTShaib and ChatGPT as long as they are used with humility and the right intention.

• Accessibility: For many in the diaspora or those who did not grow up speaking Punjabi, AI can open the doors to Gurbani that might otherwise remain closed.

• Confidence: Some people hesitate to ask questions at the Gurdwara. AI provides a non-judgmental space to explore and build foundational understanding.

• Curiosity and Reflection: Once people begin to grasp the meanings of a Shabad, they often become more interested in exploring it further through traditional sources.

• Inclusion: Those with reading difficulties, disabilities, or other learning needs can benefit from the personalised, on-demand nature of AI learning.

So Will This Shift How Sikhs Learn Gurbani?

Probably yes.

We are already seeing young people use smartphones to listen to Kirtan (devotional music), access digital Gutkas (prayer books), and watch Katha on YouTube. AI may become another tool in this digital spiritual toolkit. But it should never replace the soul of Sikh learning which is Guru, Sangat, and Seva.

True spiritual understanding, or anubhav, does not come from reading alone. It comes from inner experience, reflection, discipline, and the grace of the Guru. Gurbani refers to this as Gurprasad (divine grace).

A Personal Conclusion

For me, using ChatGPT or GPTShaib is not about taking shortcuts. It is about opening a door. I want to be less intimidated, more curious, and more engaged with the Guru’s message. I still attend Sangat. I still listen to Katha. But I now have a deeper context when I do.

I believe the ethics of using AI to explore Gurbani comes down to niyaa (intent). If we approach the Guru with humility, longing, and respect, even through modern tools, then perhaps those tools can serve us rather than mislead us.