Convincing a great Torah scholar who has written many books in the fields of halakha to agree to upload many of his halakhic writings to the internet so that those using the internet can enjoy reliable, credible, and well sourced sources on Jewish law, was not easy. More than ten years ago I did my best to convince him, and since then, many thousands–perhaps millions–have benefited from his scholarship. Yet addressing his original reluctance was not easy, and it is no easier explaining to other rabbis that Rabbi ChatGPT is here to stay.
The original objections to uploading halakhic materials to the internet, were understandable and well grounded. Can we really let any person look up questions themselves without providing proper context to the halakhic questions? Are we not afraid people will misapply the halakha to their case, which is not similar to what is described in the halakhic source? Should people who are not familiar with the mechanisms of the halakhic process be given these resources all together?
All these objections were reasonable and had merit, yet today, more than ten years after these discussions were had, there is hardly a Jewish organization that does not believe in the importance of flooding the internet with reliable, well written, ready to use halakhic literature.
Why?
Because we realized how absolutely overwhelming the use of the internet is going to be, how many people will be asking their halakhic questions to “Rabbi Google”, how many people who would not go as far as consulting a rabbi, will google the question that they have, and that if we didn’t put out authentic information that will be true to halakha and to our Mesorah, those who search will find information that is unreliable, and even put out with the intention to mislead Am Yisrael.
My dear friend, the brilliant Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank of Yeshiva University, pointed out in his seminal and highly recommended essay Ten Reasons Why We Cannot Turn to AI for Psak, points out the many shortcomings of AI and its inability to render halakhic questions. Rabbi Wiederblank rightfully points out that currently, AI simply does not have the ability to coherently analyze halakhic information, something I have seen with my own eyes.
ChatGPT’s fabrication of halakhic sources, confusing one concept with the others, and the misapplication of halakhic process are all very evident to anyone familiar with the halakhic process, using ChatGPT. Rabbi Wiederblank goes on to thoughtfully point out that even when AI arrives at the point in which it can properly process halakhic information and properly apply it, we should still not turn to AI with our halakhic questions for the many legitimate concerns he lists due to the lack of Mesorah, the human authority, and so much more which AI is lacking.
While individually speaking, these arguments are 100% valid and correct, as an early advocate of uploading as much halakhic information as possible to the internet, and seeing how useful websites like the OU, CRC, Star K, YU Torah, Chabad, Sefaria and others have been to so many, it is now our obligation as a community to do as much as we can to make sure AI users have the same kind of access to halakhic information.
Anyone who cares deeply about the authenticity of halakha, Mesorah, and Jewish observance must engage in a concentrated effort to improve the halakhic accuracy of AI. From databases like Sefaria, Bar Ilan’s responsa project, the OU, and more, we must do our utmost to improve the ability of AI to answer the many halakhic questions it is receiving as we speak. Competent poskim and rabbinical institutions such as Eretz Chemdah and others, should work with AI developers to improve the halakhic responses AI is giving, and those with the time and ability should crowdsource their skills to help AI refine its halakhic skills and the answers it is already giving.
While fields like medicine and halakha are ideally addressed in human to human interactions, there is no going back on the fact that countless people are already asking most of their questions to AI. Those who are deeply committed to preserving our sacred Mesorah, the authenticity of halakha, and the preservation of Torah “Ki Lo Tishakach Me’pi Zaro–for it will not be forgotten from the mouths of his descendents”, must do everything they can to make sure those asking AI their halakhic questions, find answers that are as accurate and authentic as possible.