[TOMT] BOOK, scifi i read in the 80s...

It was a series of books, it started on a somewhat primitive earth which was controlled by some sort of entity, and there was a large mountain that everyone thought was gods, but by the end of it all we learn its an AI. Some people escape earth, and it begins a journey to different places, and at one point i recall some of the cgaracters undergoing a transformation and being turned into different species, but they needed to do it.to help everyone else and escape the AI. It ends up back on earth, were they enter the mountain...

Hope thats enough!

edit: I thought it was from Jack Chalker for some reason, but none of the books of his seem to fit the description from what I've seen.