Tech and faith teams up to shape AI's moral path

Silicon Valley once ignored religion completely. Now, tech companies are asking faith leaders for help with AI ethics. This shift is happening because AI is growing fast and people worry about its impact. At a recent meeting in New York, tech reps from companies like Anthropic and OpenAI sat down with religious leaders to discuss creating guidelines for ethical AI. The event was organized by an international group focused on safety issues like extremism and human trafficking. More meetings are planned in cities like Beijing, Nairobi, and Abu Dhabi. Some tech leaders admit they need guidance. Joanna Shields, a former tech executive, says companies can't rely on slow-moving regulations. She believes religious groups, with their experience in guiding moral behavior, can help. Tech workers building AI already know its power, and many want to do the right thing. The goal is to create a set of common principles that companies can follow, drawing from different faith traditions.Not everyone agrees this partnership will work. Religions around the world have different values. For example, the Mormon church says AI can help with learning but can’t replace divine inspiration. The Southern Baptist Convention wants to shape AI before it shapes society. These differences make it hard to agree on universal rules. Rabbi Diana Gerson, who attended the meeting, points out that even with shared goals, faith groups see priorities differently. Anthropic, a leading AI company, has been vocal about working with religious leaders. Their chatbot "Claude" follows a set of rules called the "Claude Constitution, " created with help from ethics and faith experts. But not all experts trust these efforts. Some worry companies are just trying to improve their image after past mistakes. Brian Boyd from the Future of Life Institute says some tech leaders now see a real moral obligation, while others are just looking for quick fixes. Critics argue these talks might distract from bigger issues. Rumman Chowdhury, an AI safety advocate, doubts religion can solve AI’s ethical problems. She thinks tech companies are now scrambling because they realize universal ethics don’t exist. Meanwhile, Dylan Baker from the Distributed AI Research Institute questions why companies focus on making AI "good" instead of asking if they should build it at all.