University of Kentucky employee granted permission not to use AI at work, applying for religious accommodation on humanist beliefs
David DeMann, an administrator at the University of Kentucky in the United States, applied for a religious accommodation with the help of the American Humanist Association and was granted permission not to personally use AI while performing his job duties. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission explains that the beliefs protected by employment law are not limited to traditional religions and may also include nontheistic moral beliefs that carry a similar strength to religious convictions. The university said it will review such requests on a case-by-case basis according to employees' job duties and may revisit the arrangement as technology and job duties change.
Body · AI translation
While everyone is learning AI, he successfully applied for the right to "not use AI"
Phoenix Tech Download the app for exclusive early access October 31, 2026 08:23:47 From Beijing Updated October 31, 2026 08:22:49
Phoenix Tech News, October 31 (Beijing Time) — More and more employers are encouraging employees to use artificial intelligence tools at work, but an employee at the University of Kentucky secured a different option for himself in advance.
According to a report by the U.S. tech media outlet TechCrunch, University of Kentucky administrator David Durman believes that using AI conflicts with his humanist convictions. With the help of the American Humanist Association, he applied to the school for a religious accommodation and was granted permission not to personally use AI while performing his job duties.
Durman is a humanist who does not believe in a deity. He explained to TechCrunch that humanism cares about the human experience of life and the relationship between people and the world, values the well-being of individuals and groups, and encourages people to strive to improve their own lives and the lives of others.
Durman's concerns about AI also include employment, the environment, and creativity. In a statement published by the American Humanist Association, he said that AI is interfering with people's ability to make a living, and that its environmental costs may also have serious consequences for humanity and the planet; he is also worried that AI will replace human creativity, steal people's creative achievements, and threaten cultural fields such as art and literature. These are concerns Durman raised based on his own convictions.
As for why someone who does not believe in God can still apply for a "religious accommodation," the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission explains that the scope of beliefs protected by U.S. employment law is not limited to traditional, organized religions, and may also include nontheistic moral or ethical beliefs that are sincerely held by an individual and have a strength similar to religious beliefs.
Alexandria Huiskens, a lawyer with the American Humanist Association, told TechCrunch that concerns about AI and human dignity may arise in different faiths and traditions, including Catholicism, Unitarianism, and humanism. She hopes that humanists and nontheistic people know that their related beliefs may also be legally protected in the workplace.
However, this does not mean that employees can automatically obtain an exemption simply because they dislike AI. Relevant applications need to be judged in light of factors such as the specific beliefs, the job requirements, and whether the employer can make reasonable arrangements. If an arrangement would impose an undue hardship on the employer, the employer may not be required to provide the corresponding accommodation. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
University of Kentucky spokesperson Jay Blanton said that the school reviews religious accommodations on a case-by-case basis according to each employee's job duties and application.
Blanton said that in Durman's case, the school determined that the corresponding arrangement could be provided while allowing him to continue performing the core duties of his position. As technology and job duties change, the school may also re-examine this arrangement to ensure that it remains reasonable and feasible.
Before submitting his application, Durman read about the experience of a software engineer. According to reports, engineer Erin Maus, who is a Unitarian Universalist, had previously obtained similar protection allowing her not to use AI at work. This case is particularly noteworthy because programming is precisely an area where AI tools are widely used.
Durman said that he applied out of his own convictions and does not intend to tell others how they should view AI. He hopes that people with similar concerns can also find solutions that suit them, and that they do not necessarily have to take the path of religious exemption. (Editor/Yu Lei)
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