It depends on the specific meeting, but yes, some of them are religious cults. Both my parents converted to evangelical extremism while attending AA. This has had a profound and negative impact on my life, as they forced me to go to an abusive mennonite school, among other problems too private to share.

I know some people have great experiences with these orgs, but I'd also caution people about how there are sometimes people with agendas exploiting the trust and vulnerability within these groups.