Humanist employee secures religious exemption to avoid AI use at university

A research administrator at the University of Kentucky, David Durman, successfully obtained a religious exemption to opt out of using artificial intelligence tools in his work. Durman, who identifies as a humanist, argued that relying on AI for tasks requiring human judgment and personal responsibility violated his core beliefs, which he stated diminished human dignity and constituted an abdication of human moral agency. After submitting his request in August, with assistance from the American Humanist Association, the university granted the accommodation on September 25, finding it did not create an undue burden on his department. This case establishes a potential precedent allowing workers to invoke federal religious-accommodation protections against employer-mandated AI use. Fish Stark, executive director of the American Humanist Association, noted that humanism is not monolithic regarding AI use, emphasizing that what unites humanists is the belief that technology should promote human flourishing, not undermine it. Durman also cited broader concerns regarding AI's potential for job displacement and environmental harm.