A Kentucky man becomes the first humanist granted religious exemption from AI

The University of Kentucky granted a religious accommodation to David Durman, a research administrator, allowing him to opt out of using artificial intelligence in his daily work. Durman, 45, requested the exemption after the university began asking employees to use tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Microsoft Teams Copilot.

Durman sought the accommodation under Title VII, a federal law that permits employees to request changes to work requirements to comply with religious or moral beliefs. Supported by the American Humanist Association, Durman stated that offloading cognitive tasks to AI tools would undercut his ability to act as a moral person. He argued that the process of thinking through ethical situations and professional responsibilities is essential to his personal development.

The American Humanist Association stated that this is the first instance of a humanist being granted an exemption from AI use. The university approved the request in September.