Religion and Artificial Intelligence

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In recent years, religious or belief actors (RBAs) have made their voices heard in de bates over the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) and in AI-related policy-making processes aimed at regulating AI development and deployment in accordance with fundamental rights and freedoms. At the same time, religious or belief actors interactions with AI technologies increasingly go beyond the voicing of ethical concerns and human rights advocacy in the field of AI governance. To various extents, diverse religious or belief actors employ, adapt, invest in and sometimes contribute to the development of AI. In this way they become agents in the AI life cycle, often entering into partnerships with other public and private stakeholders.

The manifold interactions of religious or belief actors with AI technologies instantiate a more general phenomenon: the interaction between (non)-religion and various processes of social, technological, legal and political innovation. Building upon the European Commission’s commitment to developing an AI ecosystem characterised by both (scientific and technological) excellence and (justified societal) trust, the actual and potential contributions of religious or belief actors to AI innovation at the technological and governance levels can be spelled out in terms of the key concepts of engagement and agency. From this conceptual basis a series of recommendations ensues. The recommendations, which aim to guide future interactions between religious or belief actors and AI in societally beneficial ways, are addressed to religious or belief actors, policymakers and researchers in the fields of AI and religion.

Regarding the role of Religious or Belief Actors in AI-related policy-making:

Decision makers designing national and international policy-making processes on AI should enhance existing and/or establish new consultation channels with religious or belief actors. Consultations with religious or belief actors should not be limited to high-level leaders, institutionalised actors and formal organisations, but also involve minority actors, women, LGBTIQA+ persons and youth within the respective communities. Collaboration among different religious or belief actors and between religious or belief actors and other stakeholders, both governmental and non-governmental, should be strengthened with the aim of enhancing policies and advocacy on the ethics and governance of AI, in particular with regard to the protection of sensitive data and the prevention of bias and discrimination. Religious or belief actors should be heard not only regarding their assessments of the ethical implications of AI, but also as stakeholders in, and contributors to, the AI innovation life cycle.

Regarding religious literacy and AI literacy:

Governmental and non-governmental actors should promote initiatives aimed at enhancing religious literacy and awareness of (non)-religious diversity among policy-makers, AI developers, businesses and other stakeholders. Conversely, AI-literacy among religious or belief actors should be fostered because religious or belief actors might use AI-involving technologies without being fully aware of the opportunities such technologies offer or the risks they pose. Religious or belief actors should be encouraged to consider how their interactions with AI-technologies often go beyond ethics or human rights advocacy. Processes of critical reflection upon, and taking stock of, religious or belief actors’ diverse involvements with AI technologies should be promoted. Religious or belief actors should consider taking on the responsibility to act as (formal or informal) educators on AI in their communities, promoting the responsible use of digital technologies and raising awareness of the ethical and social implications of AI according to shared values of freedom, dignity, equality and respect.

Regarding research and knowledge production:

Strengthening the evidence base on how religious or belief actors engage with AI can contribute to shaping future AI research, development and deployment in beneficial, responsible and trustworthy ways.

• Future research should address a series of so far under-researched issues, including but not limited to
• Religious or belief actors’ use of AI-involving technologies;
• Religious or belief actors-related (mis)use of data-driven surveillance mechanisms;
• Religious or belief actors contributions (and resistance) to the design, development and implementation of trustworthy AI;
• AI-related collaborations and partnerships among Religious or belief actors as well as between RBAs and other civil society actors;
• Religious or belief actors-related implications of AI for different areas of sustainable development such as health, child protection, economy and social cohesion;
• data-driven approaches to studying religion and belief

Download the Center for Religious Studies Policy Paper on Religion and Artificial Intelligence.