In a recent Purim shmuess, Rav Yisroel Reisman shlit”a, Rav of Agudas Yisroel of Madison in Brooklyn, and Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Vodaath, shared a humorous yet eye-opening cautionary tale about the pitfalls of relying on artificial intelligence for halachic guidance. While the story was fitting for Purim, its underlying message carried serious implications for the frum world. Rabbi Reisman began by acknowledging the rise of AI technology, quipping, “I’m aware that there’s something called AI, which always stood for Agudath Israel. Lately, it stands for artificial intelligence. I am aware that those who lack natural intelligence therefore have artificial intelligence.” He then recounted how a mispalel approached him with a shaalah but ultimately decided he no longer needed to ask. “My son AI’d it,” the man told him, explaining that artificial intelligence had already provided an answer. Rabbi Reisman jokingly admitted that his gaavah kicked in: “I’m going to be replaced by a Google algorithm?” The shaalah in question was whether one can serve dairy at a Purim seudah. According to AI, the answer was sourced from three leading poskim. But upon closer inspection, Rabbi Reisman discovered that the so-called “sources” were completely fabricated. The first cited source was Rav Moshe Feinstein in Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Chelek 4:64. However, when Rabbi Reisman checked the sefer, he found that the teshuva discussed the use of electricity on Shabbos—completely unrelated to dairy at a Purim seudah. The second source AI provided was a teshuva from Rav Yosef Eliyahu Henkin in a sefer titled Eidah HaChareidis. The only problem? Rav Henkin never wrote a sefer by that name. The third source cited was from Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach in Minchas Shlomo. While this sefer does exist, the teshuva AI pointed to discussed chatzitzos in tevilah—again, entirely irrelevant to the question at hand. Rabbi Reisman’s anecdote, while delivered in a lighthearted Purim spirit, underscores a critical lesson: AI is not a substitute for a competent, human rav. While artificial intelligence can synthesize information, it lacks the ability to properly understand, analyze, and apply halacha. The dangers of misinformation are real, and relying on AI for halachic rulings can lead to serious errors. As technology advances, it is more crucial than ever to ensure that halacha remains in the hands of talmidei chachamim who possess not only knowledge but also yiras Shamayim and the mesorah necessary to guide klal Yisroel properly. And as Rabbi Reisman humorously reminded his audience—no algorithm, no matter how advanced, can replace a rav who knows how to crack open a sefer and find the real answer. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)