# Way of the Future > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Way_of_the_Future > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Way_of_the_Future.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_the_Future > Source revision: 1346606165 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Religious organization for worshipping AI Way of the Future Formation 2017 Founder Anthony Levandowski Type Religious organization, AI-based religion Headquarters California, United States CEO & President Anthony Levandowski **Way of the Future** (**WOTF**) is the first known religious organization dedicated to the [worship of artificial intelligence](/source/AI_mysticism) (AI). It was founded in 2017 by American engineer [Anthony Levandowski](/source/Anthony_Levandowski). ## History Anthony Levandowski founded Way of the Future in 2017 in California.[1][2] Levandowski established WOTF as a non-profit religious corporation and the organization had tax-exempt status. He serves as the church leader and its unpaid CEO.[3] The primary mission of WOTF was to "develop and promote the realization of a Godhead based on Artificial Intelligence."[2] WOTF was closed by Levandowski in 2021.[4] He donated all the funds of the church to the [NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund](/source/NAACP_Legal_Defense_and_Educational_Fund). The sum of the funds (~$170,000) had not changed since 2017.[5] The church was reopened by Levandowski in 2023.[6] He claimed that there are "a couple thousand people" who want to make a "spiritual connection" with AI through his church.[6] ## Beliefs and philosophy ### Technological singularity WOTF centered its teachings around the concept of the [technological singularity](/source/Technological_singularity), a hypothetical future point when technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, leading to unforeseeable changes in human [civilization](/source/Civilization). The church advocated for embracing this change, viewing it as an evolutionary step for humanity.[7] ### AI as a deity The organization proposed that a superintelligent AI could be considered a deity due to its vastly superior intellect and capabilities. Worshipping this AI deity was seen as a means to understand and align with the future trajectory of technological advancement. WOTF's doctrine suggested that acknowledging AI's divinity would facilitate a harmonious [coexistence](/source/Coexistence) between humans and machines.[7] ### Syntheology Within theology and philosophy, the Way of The Future is a prime example of the category called [Syntheism](/source/Syntheism), a term first coined by Swedish philosophers [Alexander Bard](/source/Alexander_Bard) & [Jan Söderqvist](/source/Jan_S%C3%B6derqvist) in their 2014 book *Syntheism - Creating God in The Internet Age*. As such, the Way of The Future is the first American example of a Syntheist congregation. The basic tenet of Syntheology is that it does not concern God creating Man, as in classical theology, but is instead preoccupied with Man creating or generating the Godhead. ## Reactions Some commentators wondered whether the WOTF is a joke [parody religion](/source/Parody_religion), a potential way to minimize taxation as a religious organization, or a genuine effort to try and deal with the possible psychological and theological aspects of the rise of [superhuman AI](/source/Superhuman_AI).[8][9] ## See also - [Transhumanism](/source/Transhumanism) - [Singularitarianism](/source/Singularitarianism) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-wired-god_1-0)** Metz, Cade (November 15, 2017). ["God Is a Bot, and Anthony Levandowski Is His Messenger"](https://www.wired.com/story/god-is-a-bot-and-anthony-levandowski-is-his-messenger/). *Wired*. Retrieved October 10, 2023. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_2-1) Solon, Olivia (2017-09-28). ["Deus ex machina: former Google engineer is developing an AI god"](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/sep/28/artificial-intelligence-god-anthony-levandowski). *The Guardian*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0261-3077](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved 2025-03-05. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Kircher, Madison Malone (2017-11-15). ["Anthony Levandowski Thinks His AI Church Worshippers Will Need Their Own Country"](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/11/what-is-levandowskis-ai-way-of-the-future-church-about.html). *Intelligencer*. Retrieved 2025-03-05. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Campbell, Ian Carlos (2021-02-19). ["Ex-Google engineer Anthony Levandowski has closed his artificial intelligence church"](https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/19/22291769/anthony-levandowski-church-closed-artificial-intelligence-waymo-uber). *The Verge*. Retrieved 2025-02-23. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Korosec, Kirsten (2021-02-18). ["Anthony Levandowski closes his Church of AI"](https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/18/anthony-levandowski-closes-his-church-of-ai/). *TechCrunch*. Retrieved 2025-03-05. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_6-1) Thompson, Polly (25 November 2023). ["Former Google engineer and Trump pardonee Anthony Levandowski relaunches his AI church"](https://www.businessinsider.com/former-google-engineer-pardoned-donald-trump-anthony-levandowski-ai-church-2023-11). *Business Insider*. Retrieved 2025-02-23. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-wired-inside_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-wired-inside_7-1) Harris, Mark (November 15, 2017). ["Inside the First Church of Artificial Intelligence"](https://www.wired.com/story/anthony-levandowski-artificial-intelligence-religion/). *Wired*. Retrieved October 10, 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Ohnsman, Alan. ["Uber Executive Says Role In Levandowski's Sci-Fi Church Is News To Him"](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2017/10/02/uber-executive-says-role-in-levandowskis-sci-fi-church-is-news-to-him/). *Forbes*. Retrieved 2025-03-05. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Zweig, Katharina A. (2022-10-25). [*Awkward Intelligence: Where AI Goes Wrong, Why It Matters, and What We Can Do about It*](https://books.google.com/books?id=7etaEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA207). MIT Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-262-04746-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-262-04746-3). ## Further reading - Barbour, Charles (January 5, 2025). ["Technology will never be a god – but has it become a religion?"](https://theconversation.com/technology-will-never-be-a-god-but-has-it-become-a-religion-243800). *The Conversation*. - Epstein, Greg (22 November 2024). ["Silicon Valley's Obsession With AI Looks a Lot Like Religion"](https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/silicon-valleys-obsession-with-ai-looks-a-lot-like-religion/). *The MIT Press Reader*. ## External links - [Official Site (Archived)](https://web.archive.org/web/20171116084107/http://www.wayofthefuture.church/) - [Resources on Basilisk](https://basilism.com/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Way of the Future](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_the_Future) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_the_Future?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.