At the conclusion of the Civil War, a Union soldier established a school in Raleigh, North Carolina, geared towards religious literacy for formerly enslaved individuals. This institution, Shaw University, now aims to foster a different kind of literacy: AI literacy. Commencing next year, Shaw’s divinity school plans to introduce a new Doctor of Education degree in Artificial Intelligence and Moral Agency.
As AI technology evolves and takes on tasks typically performed by humans, Shaw University seeks to explore the moral implications of AI. “We say Shaw was created to provide leadership in building literacy,” stated Mark Harden, Dean of Shaw University Divinity School. “Now, this is another mission for us, focusing on AI literacy for vulnerable communities, enhancing social justice and ethics.”
In June, the divinity school received accreditation approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. It is currently working to obtain approval from the Commission on Accrediting at the Association of Theological Schools, which represents 280 graduate theological schools in the U.S. and Canada.
Chris Meinzer, Chief Operating Officer of ATS, highlighted that Shaw’s AI degree would be the first within its network at either the master’s or doctoral level. While various divinity schools offer standalone courses on AI and ethics, a comprehensive program is pioneering.
Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good has also been active in this arena. With a $50 million gift from the Lilly Endowment, it supports the DELTA network, which facilitates resources to address the challenges AI poses to religious communities. “Almost everyone in higher education is seriously examining how AI-related issues shape ethical questions and how we prepare students for these challenges,” remarked Meghan Sullivan, a philosophy professor at Notre Dame.
Sullivan notes that schools of theology are well-suited to study AI ethics. She points out that one of Christianity’s central questions revolves around the use of human agency; theological schools offer valuable insights into navigating a world increasingly influenced by AI.
The Pope’s encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas,” released earlier this year, aims to safeguard human dignity against AI’s growing influence. It underscores the risk of tech companies defining AI ethics, thus stressing the need for theological perspectives in these debates.
Philip Butler, an associate professor at Iliff School of Theology, began an AI institute in 2018. He teaches a course examining who benefits and who might be marginalized by AI decisions. According to Butler, when AI is created for “everyone,” it might unintentionally cater to specific groups or exclude others entirely.
Shaw University’s role as a historically Black theological institution enriches its pursuit of AI literacy. The university played a significant part in the Civil Rights movement, making this progression into AI literacy a natural evolution. Notable figures like Ella Baker, who co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee on Shaw’s campus, exemplify the institution’s legacy of civic engagement.
The degree program has already garnered interest from at least 66 prospective students, according to Harden. The divinity school currently offers master’s degrees in Theology and Ministry and in Divinity. The school plans to accept individuals with master’s degrees in arts or divinity, requiring five years of relevant professional experience.
Most students are expected to be bi-vocational, combining their studies with other professional roles. Since COVID-19, the divinity school has transitioned to offering classes online. To support the new program, the school is hiring additional teaching staff, many of whom will hold certificates in AI. Completing the degree will take approximately three to four years.