Kentucky university worker wins right to avoid AI on principle

The University of Kentucky exempted humanist employee David Dorman from using artificial intelligence at work, recognizing his beliefs as grounds for a religious exemption under federal law.

The University of Kentucky exempted one of its administrative employees, David Dorman, from using artificial intelligence at work. The decision was made in September after he approached the university's Office of Equal Opportunity, Religion News Service reported.

Dorman identifies as a humanist. Although humanism is not an organized religion, federal law may treat it as a religious belief. The exemption was granted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits workplace discrimination and allows employees to request accommodations for religious reasons.

Dorman said that delegating thinking to AI would undermine his own development as a moral person. In a letter to the university, he wrote that replacing human presence and personal responsibility with machine processing conflicts with his duty to protect human dignity.

Margaret King Library at the University of Kentucky

The American Humanist Association helped him file the request. The association believes Dorman is the first humanist to receive such an exemption. Earlier in the summer, North Carolina programmer Erin Maus received a similar exemption for ethical and environmental reasons.