To make AI morally good, tech companies are turning to religion. But some say it isn’t that simple

Technology companies are seeking input from philosophers and religious leaders to help develop artificial intelligence models that follow moral principles.

During a Vatican presentation of Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical on artificial intelligence, Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah stated that questions regarding right and wrong cannot be answered in a laboratory, noting that religious traditions have addressed these issues for millennia.

As executives debate the potential for AI to cause destruction, they are looking to faith traditions to help inform the development of morally good models. However, observers note a lack of public scrutiny regarding how these companies define religion or what specific outcomes they expect from engaging with faith leaders.