Tech giants seek moral guidance from religion to shape ethical AI

Tech companies are increasingly turning to religious and philosophical traditions to guide the development of morally sound artificial intelligence. Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah highlighted the limitations of labs in answering ethical questions, suggesting that traditions like religion have long addressed these issues. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman proposed that AI should reflect a weighted average of humanity’s moral views. However, experts warn that this approach risks oversimplifying complex religious traditions and prioritizing certain faiths over others. Anthropologist Webb Keane criticized the notion of religion as a set of extractable moral principles, noting that traditions like Buddhism and Hinduism were not clearly defined until European scholars introduced modern categories. Anthropic has engaged with over 15 religious and cross-cultural groups, aiming to broaden its representation. Scholars like Tomoko Masuzawa argue that the idea of religion as a universal, comparable system is a modern construct, shaped by Western academia. Critics like Paolo Carozza warn that AI could homogenize religious traditions, diluting their unique characteristics.