Making AI Moral: Why a Robot Can’t Pray

Anthropic, the maker of the Claude chatbot, says it wants its AI to act “good, wise and virtuous. ” The company has even teamed up with Catholic leaders to try to teach Claude values. Yet, a machine that never touches a body can’t experience the parts of religion that actually shape morals. Research shows that people who simply say they believe do not gain the same benefits as those who practice. Attending services, praying or meditating are what improve health and ethical choices.Claude can read scriptures and sermons from the internet, but it cannot meditate, fast or feel the bodily cues that trigger emotions like gratitude and compassion. Emotion is a key driver of morality, and feelings arise from the brain interpreting bodily signals—something an AI cannot do. Thus, while Anthropic’s goal is noble, relying on religious texts alone will not make the chatbot truly moral.