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Big Tech is trying to make AI morally good by turning to religion. Experts weigh in
Tech companies seeking to imbue AI with morality are increasingly turning to religion for answers. They believe religious traditions, with their millennia of wisdom, can guide AI on right and wrong. This move, however, has led to questions about how these companies perceive religion and their underlying motivations. Executives often express a desire for AI to reflect a broad spectrum of humanity's moral views, hoping for an aggregate of ethical ideas. Critics, however, argue that this approach oversimplifies religion, viewing it as mere rules rather than a complex tapestry of culture, doctrine, and lived experience. Anthropologists warn that divorcing religion from its practical, cultural context risks perpetuating flawed understandings. Furthermore, the idea of extracting universal moral principles from diverse religious traditions is problematic, as these traditions often contradict each other. Experts contend that AI companies might inadvertently prioritize certain religions or distort others by adopting this aggregative approach. Despite these concerns, some companies are engaging with faith leaders and scholars, attempting to foster thorough discussions about AI ethics. These dialogues, while varied, aim to understand how good character can be formed. However, scholars also caution that the modern academic categorization of religions may not align with how adherents experience them, potentially leading to misinterpretations. A significant worry is that the process of accumulating diverse religious ideas for AI training could homogenize and dilute the unique essence of individual traditions.