AI is seeping into almost every sphere of life, and with it come growing ethical and moral questions around its use and impact. In response, the companies behind ChatGPT and Claude, OpenAI and Anthropic are expanding their conversations beyond engineers and policymakers.
According to an Associated Press report, the AI firms are now consulting religious leaders, including representatives from Hindu and Sikh communities, to help guide the ethical development and use of artificial intelligence.
Religious leaders from across the globe convened in New York last week with executives from OpenAI and Anthropic for the inaugural 'Faith-AI Covenant' roundtable. The event was hosted by the Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities, a Geneva-based organisation dedicated to addressing issues including extremism, radicalisation, and human trafficking.
The event was organised by the Geneva-based Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities, an organisation that focuses on issues such as extremism, radicalisation, and human trafficking.
Leaders representing multiple faiths took part in the meeting, including the Hindu Temple Society of North America, the Baha’i International Community, The Sikh Coalition, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon church. This gathering was not an isolated event; there are indications that similar meetings may be planned in Beijing, Nairobi, and Abu Dhabi.
Some religious groups had already issued guidance on AI even before tech companies began outreach. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints noted, “AI cannot replace the gift of divine inspiration,” while adding that it “can be a useful tool to enhance learning and teaching.”
In 2023, the Southern Baptist Convention urged proactive engagement, stating, “We must proactively engage and shape these emerging technologies rather than simply respond after they have already affected our churches and communities.”
The meeting focused on how AI can be developed in line with human values and moral responsibility, with participation from Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Baha’i leaders.
Supporters of the initiative, including Baroness Joanna Shields, said regulation alone cannot keep pace with AI and that faith leaders can help guide its moral use. The organisers aim to create shared ethical principles for AI companies, with future meetings planned in cities like Beijing, Nairobi and Abu Dhabi.
