To make AI morally good, tech companies are turning to religion. But some say it isn’t that simple

In an effort to imbue artificial intelligence with moral integrity, major technology companies are turning to religion for guidance. However, some critics argue that this approach may not be as straightforward as it appears. At the Vatican, Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah posed a question to the world's leading AI developers: "These are not questions a lab can answer. They are questions traditions like yours have carried for millennia."

Companies like OpenAI and Meta have been actively seeking input from philosophers and faith leaders to inform their AI models about ethical principles. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has stated that he envisions ChatGPT reflecting a "weighted average" of humanity's moral view, while Meta's executives have met with the Vatican to discuss AI's potential impact.

However, experts and religious adherents caution against this approach, pointing out that different traditions and worldviews can often contradict one another. As Webb Keane, an anthropologist at the University of Michigan, explains, religion is more than a set of rules that can be separated from its cultural and political context.

He warns that focusing solely on moral principles derived from religion could lead to the prioritization of certain traditions while neglecting others, particularly those that do not view themselves primarily as a system of ethics.

Despite these concerns, the companies involved are making efforts to engage with religion thoughtfully. For example, Anthropic's meetings have included representatives from various religious groups, and Microsoft has been proactive in its religious outreach. While the scope of traditions consulted may vary, the goal remains to harness religious wisdom to create AI systems that are morally good.