The Compatibility of Christian AI Ethics

Can Christianity impact future AI?

As the field of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, ethical considerations have become a central topic of discussion.  As AI becomes increasingly intelligent and capable of achieving its goals, the challenge becomes ensuring the AI is benevolent AI whose goals are aligned with ours.  Defining what those goals should be is where we find a schism between the current mainstream secular consensus ethics versus Christian ethics.

The divide extends within each camp where discord continues.  Mainstream AI ethics finds its roots in the scientific approach dating back to the ancient philosophers who derived ethics from incontrovertible principles and logic.  Alternatively, followers of Immanuel Kant believe reason is the source of morality.  Utilitarians promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number.  Differing opinions within mainstream AI ethicists start at the philosophical level and continue beyond.  Following are ongoing divergent opinions:

Transparency and Explainability:

A point of disagreement is the level of transparency and explainability required in AI systems.  Some argue that AI should be completely transparent to ensure accountability, while others believe that complex algorithms may not be explainable but can still be ethically designed and used.

• Privacy and Surveillance:

Privacy concerns have led to debates about the extent to which AI surveillance and data collection should be permitted. Many contend that strict limits are necessary to protect individual privacy, while others argue that the potential benefits of enhanced security and public safety may justify some intrusion into private lives.

• Bias and Fairness:

While most agree that AI should be fair and unbiased, defining what is fair and how to achieve it remains complicated.  Bias in AI is often derived from the internet, the source for machine learning.  Identifying bias falls to the programmers who themselves are prone to bias.

• Ethical Relativism:

Some argue that AI should be adaptable to different cultures and their belief systems, adapted to local values.  Others advocate for universal, globally applicable ethical standards.

Where mainstream AI ethics finds commonality with Christian ethics is the universal concept of goodness, summarized in the golden rule.  In the secular realm this is the closest AI ethicists come to theism, in the Christian world it’s just the beginning.  From that point forward, Christian ethics mirror the divergence found in the multitude of Christian denominations.  According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, there are more than 45,000 Christian denominations globally and more than 200 in the U.S.

Leading the largest Christian denomination – Catholics, Pope Francis addressed the challenge of religious tolerance at the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.  The pope emphasized the best way to enhance the distinctive features of religious, ethnic, and cultural differences is “to work for a society marked by respectful coexistence,” adding, we should “bring people together while respecting their diversity.”  In effect, Christians accept the existence of other religions while rejecting their theology. The same applies to their position on ethics.

What then are the fundamental differences between mainstream & Christian AI ethics?

• Moral Foundation:

   Christian AI ethics are rooted in Christian theology and values.  Christians believe AI ethics should follow Christian centric biblical doctrine.  This includes respect for the sanctity of life, human dignity, and obedience to God’s commandments.  Mainstream AI ethics focuses on the universal principles of fairness, accountability, transparency, and avoiding harm.

• Theological and Philosophical Roots:

Christian AI ethics are derived from Christian interpretation of the Bible.  The formulation and application of Christian AI ethics for a myriad of AI scenarios would be derived from Christian doctrine and biblical explication.  Mainstream AI ethics employ democratic ideals promoting well-being and fairness apart from religious beliefs.  These generic ideals are derived from secular philosophical traditions stemming from utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics.

• AI Ethical Focus

   While Christian AI ethics covers the same concerns as mainstream AI ethics, it goes beyond that scope covering moral issues.  A recent report of AI “redefining” the bible underscores the need for Christian values applied to AI programming.  Christian ethics diverge from mainstream ethics in areas such as abortion, medical research, and human/AI integration. Scientific minded ethicists see a future where AI becomes God-like, promoting Scientism, the belief that science offers the best or only way to render truth about the world and reality.

In the field of AI ethics there is no one size fits all solution.  Social and cultural beliefs / traditions create irreconcilable differences between mainstream and Christian AI ethics, pointing to the need for separate AI ethics.  For Christians that may someday come in the form of a sanctioning body charged with issuing a stamp of Christian ethical approval.  If such a body existed, corporations eager to be seen as ethically responsible could bolster the advancement of Christian AI ethics.