American Humanist Association

And two, that people might be rethinking, okay, is this a good thing for us? Which is, I think, what a humanist would want.

And the Humanist Association also want to make sure that people are aware, because they don't think that people know that if they are not of a traditional kind of faith, that they can actually ask for exemptions for their ethical beliefs.

So how does an employer weigh the impact? You talked about that legally and according to Title VII, you're weighing...

Who is more inconvenienced or who is more harmed by someone getting an accommodation or an exemption? How will his employer weigh the impact?

moral actor.

With the help of the American Humanist Association, he asked for an accommodation under Title VII, a federal law that allows employees to ask for a change in their work requirements to comply with religious belief.

In September, the university agreed and granted him a religious accommodation, meaning he does not have to use AI to complete his work.

Officials at the American Humanist Association believe it's the first case of a humanist being granted an AI exemption.

This is the first of its kind at the AHA and for humanism generally to exempt those who see AI use as flying in the face of their freedom of conscience.

Alexandria Huskins, a staff attorney at the American Humanist Association, told RNS.

Derman's case comes as religious leaders like Pope Leo XIV and Americans overall are expressing skepticism about AI.

A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released this week found that 57% of Americans said that AI is bad for society, and two-thirds opposed building the data centers needed to use AI.

While humanism is not religious, federal courts have ruled that in this context, it qualifies.

The American Humanist Association assisted Professor Derman with his request for the accommodation, saying this is the first of its kind at the American Humanist Association and for humanism generally to exempt those who see artificial intelligence use as flying in the face of their freedom of conscience.

AHA staff attorney Alexandra Huskins saying to the Religious News Service, For us, humanism is a comprehensive way of life.

It's built on inherent worth and dignity, and everyone should have room to exercise this comprehensive way of life at work the same way Christians or Muslims do.

He's the first humanist known to receive a religious exemption from using AI from an American employer.

The university's Equal Opportunity Office approved his request on September 25th and the American Humanist Association announced it on October 26th.

The university does not officially have an AI requirement yet.

Derman said he wanted to get ahead of any move towards one.

In August, he filed a request under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which covers both religious and non-religious beliefs.

He had help from an attorney, Alexandria Huskins of the American Humanist Association.

In his words, using AI violates my deeply held humanist beliefs.

Derman may still need to attend meetings where AI is used and submit work through systems that use it.

Yes.

And so here's where it gets interesting, because this week, the American Humanist Association announced that they had secured a religious accommodation for one of their members.

And it's a fascinating story.

So this involves a guy named David Derman, who is a research administrator at the University of Kentucky.

And he's not stopping anyone else from using it if they feel it's worthwhile.

The university said...

Yes, and this is how he explained his thinking to the American Humanist Association.

As a humanist, promoting the well-being and flourishing of humanity is paramount to how I live my life, and I believe that our capacity to think and reason for ourselves is worth protecting.

Welcome to How To Humanist.

It is Shay Leonia, your host, on behalf of the American Humanist Association.

Today's episode is an episode that I wish that I had back when I was 17 years old, and you're gonna learn why.

It's all about abortion.

This was a report sort of in response to the Religious Liberty Commission report that we knew would be biased and exclude at least a third of Americans.

This is a report that was put together by the Center for American Progress, AU, Interfaith Alliance, and the American Humanist Association, and it features 20 prominent voices, including elected officials and faith leaders, and talks about what religious liberty means in their lives and for the nation, with the idea that the Commission wasn't hearing from those diverse viewpoints.

They were only hearing from a narrow set of beliefs.

And this report makes the case for a vision of religious liberty that is not only rooted in the Constitution, but also really reflects the religious diversity of the United States.