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David Durman, who works as an administrator at the University of Kentucky, has become the first humanist to be granted a religious exemption from using AI.
Durman, who is a humanist, told Religious News Service he “got worried” after being asked to incorporate AI into his workday.
He said:
The process and work involved in thinking through situations, through my work, through my ethics, through the way I handle other people, is a key component in being able to develop myself as a moral person. And offloading that labor, regardless of whether it’s taxing or not, is undercutting my ability to be a moral actor.
Durman contacted the American Humanist Association, which helped him draft an accommodation request. The University of Kentucky agreed to the request in September.
He wrote in part to the school, “Substituting automated machine processing for human presence, authentic listening, and personal responsibility in my work directly conflicts with my obligation to uphold human dignity and flourishing as primary.”
Humanism is a non-theistic belief system that “says we can all live good, meaningful lives if we focus on making things better in the here and now.”
Alexandria Huiskens, a staff attorney at the American Humanist Association, told Religious News Service, “This is the first of its kind at the AHA and for humanism generally to exempt those who see AI use as flying in the face of their freedom of conscience.”
Huiskens also explained, For us, humanism is a comprehensive way of life. It’s built on inherent worth and dignity, and everyone should have room to exercise this comprehensive way of life at work the same way Christians do, or Muslims do.”
Durman also says he believes “the use of AI technology runs counter to” the abilities of humans to flourish, a tenet of humanism.
He was preceded in this request by Erin Maus, a software engineer and Unitarian Universalist who received her own exemption in June.
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