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Faith in Tech: A Roundtable

14.11.2024

At our recent "Faith in Tech" roundtable, Commissioner Graham Budd chaired a session with experts from technology services and biotech, who explored AI ethics, particularly how personal faith perspectives could inform ethical practices in their industries. Key themes included the challenges of transparency, privacy, and bias in AI applications, especially given AI’s increasing influence over personal data and decision-making processes. Attendees discussed the need for more inclusive, cross-sectoral ethical standards and the importance of courageous, values-driven leadership within tech.

There was a shared concern about the limited opportunities for individuals in tech to engage in ethics discussions from a faith-informed perspective, with some noting that organisations tend to prioritise profitability over broader ethical considerations. The importance of robust internal processes to address ethical risks—such as creating faith-friendly forums for dialogue—was emphasised, as was the potential for training programmes to integrate ethics into tech workplaces.

Looking ahead, participants expressed a desire for greater support for employees wanting to bring faith-informed insights into tech ethics. They also suggested initiatives like interfaith ethics modules in tech education and industry collaborations to foster open, respectful discussions about the societal impact of AI.

This event was by invitation only and under Chatham House Rules. Stay tuned to our News section for future activities from the Commission inspired by the lessons gathered from this event. The Commission thanks The Faraday Institute for its support in co-hosting this session and all attendees for their contributions.

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Faith in Tech: A Roundtable

Read about our "Faith in Tech" roundtable, where industry experts explored how faith-informed perspectives can shape responsible AI practices. Discussions highlighted challenges such as transparency, privacy, and bias, with a focus on fostering inclusive ethics in technology.

The Commission is proud to announce three new members of our Associates Programme, that aims to create a collaborative community of individuals and organisations interested in the intersection of AI, faith, and civil society. They will have the opportunity to participate in Commission events, contribute to discussions, and showcase their AI-related work on the Commission's platform.

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Dr Chinmay Pandya is the Editor of the Dev Sanskriti, an Interdisciplinary International Journal that addresses a abroad range of Indian intellectual interests and religious pedagogies. He is responsible to guide the ethos, academic rigour and policy implementation at DSVV. Dr Pandya is also the Chairperson of the International Festival of Yoga, Culture and Spirituality and has convened more than two hundred national and international colloquia at DSVV; and is the Co-founder of the First Centre for Baltic Culture and Studies of Asia, Founder of the South Asian Institute for Peace & Reconciliation and a Member of the ICCR Governing Council

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Dr Nathan Mladin is a Senior Researcher at the think tank Theos in London. His research, speaking and writing focus on technology ethics and theology of culture. He holds a PhD in Systematic Theology from Queen’s University Belfast and is the author of several publications, including Data and Dignity: Why Privacy Matters in the Digital Age (Theos, 2023) and AI and the Afterlife: From Digital Mourning to Mind Uploading (Theos, 2024). He is also author of ‘The Question of Surveillance Capitalism’ (with Stephen N Williams), a chapter in The Robot Will See You Now: Artificial Intelligence and the Christian Faith (SPCK, 2021).

Prof Dr Beth Singler is the Assistant Professor in Digital Religion(s) and co-lead of the Media Existential Encounters and Evolving Technology Lab at the University of Zurich where she leads projects on religion and AI. As an anthropologist, her research focusses on the human, and considers the religious, cultural, social, and ethical implications of developments in AI and robotics. Her research has been recognised with awards, including the 2021 Digital Religion Research Award from the Network for New Media, Religion, and Digital Culture Studies. Her popular science communication work includes a series of award-winning short documentaries on AI, writing and presenting a BBC Radio 4 documentary on the cultural impact of The Terminator forty years on, popular publications, science festival talks, press interviews, and international media appearances. Beth has spoken about her research at Greenbelt, at the Hay Festival as one of the Hay 30 to watch, as well as at New Scientist Live, Ars Electronica, the Edinburgh Science Festival, the Cheltenham Science Festival, and has appeared several times on BBC Click and BBC Click Live, and on BBC Radio 3 for the Year of Blade Runner. She is co-editor of the Cambridge Companion to Religion and AI (2024) and author of Religion and AI: An Introduction (2024). Her publications, interviews, and talks are all available at bvlsingler.com.