Pope Leo XIV has spoken out against AI as a danger to human dignity, but concern over how AI fits with personal beliefs extends beyond the traditionally religious. David Durman, a nontheistic Humanist, recently obtained a religious exemption from using AI in his workplace. His position is grounded in a commitment to "human well-being and flourishing, both individually and collectively," which calls on a person to strive to improve their own well-being and flourishing as well as that of those around them.

As AI became increasingly widespread in everyday life, Durman approached the American Humanist Association (AHA), a nonprofit that promotes secular humanism, to explore how he might secure legal protections against being required to use AI at work. He holds that using the technology conflicts with his beliefs. Reflecting on how overreliance on AI could affect critical thinking, he said, "The way we become moral actors for ourselves and for others is through the active application of our minds, and the diminishing of that [through AI use] is going to necessarily have a negative impact on our ability to do so." In a statement the AHA published earlier this week, Durman wrote, "AI is interfering with people's ability to earn a living, the environmental costs spell disaster for humanity and our planet, and its supplanting and theft of human creativity threaten elements of our culture like art and literature that make society flourish."

Humanism is not opposed to religion, but it tends to draw people who are skeptical of a god or other supernatural power yet still want a scientific and moral framework to anchor themselves in. Durman is the first Humanist to obtain workplace accommodations permitting him to abstain from AI use, and one of the first people to speak publicly about seeking such protections. He was moved to pursue them after learning that Erin Maus, a Unitarian Universalist and software engineer, had secured similar protections for herself. "For me, this was about me and my convictions," Durman said. "I'm obviously not trying to tell people how to think or feel… But I do hope that it encourages people who have similar concerns to pursue not necessarily religious exemption, but pursue their concerns to the best of their ability where they feel is the most appropriate."

"In this case, the university determined that an accommodation could be provided while allowing the employee to continue performing the essential functions of their position," Blanton said in a statement. "As technology and job responsibilities evolve, accommodations may be reviewed to ensure they remain reasonable and workable."

Maus's situation is particularly unusual, given how rare it has become for software engineers to write code without any AI assistance. In Durman's administrative role, however, where he supports researchers applying for grants, he has not been required to use AI at work. Like many workers across various fields, some of his colleagues and leadership have recommended that employees try these tools, so he sought to secure his exemption now, in case the suggestion ever becomes a mandate. "I hope that if [others] have similar feelings, that they feel encouraged to pursue some kind of resolution," Durman said.