To make AI morally good, tech companies are turning to religion, in spite of doubts
Tech companies are increasingly consulting religious leaders and philosophical traditions to address the ethical challenges of developing artificial intelligence. While executives seek guidance on moral frameworks, the trend has sparked debate regarding the transparency and true motivations behind these partnerships.
Why it matters
As AI becomes more powerful, the integration of religious ethics into machine learning models raises critical questions about whose values are being encoded into the technology that shapes global discourse.
To make AI morally good, tech companies are turning to religion, in spite of doubts left Some people want companies to further define terms and intentions to better understand what exactly they hope to gain from religion [File] REUTERS REUTERS https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/xflc95/article71625528.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/2026-10-22T211432Z_763984860_RC2K8OAK33FV_RTRMADP_3_CYBERSECURITY-PHP.JPG Dado Ruvic The words "AI Agent" and PHP code are displayed on a screen in this illustration taken on October 22, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Tech companies are increasingly turning to religion for guidance on developing ethical AI models As tech companies race to build the most powerful artificial intelligence, some are also asking how to teach a chatbot right from wrong. Their answer? Religion. “These are not questions a lab can answer,” Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah said earlier this year at the Vatican’s presentation of Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical on AI.
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