University employee secures workplace religious exemption to opt out of using artificial intelligence

David Durman, a research administrator at the University of Kentucky, has received a Title VII religious accommodation excusing him from using artificial intelligence tools at work. Durman, who identifies as a nontheistic secular Humanist, sought the accommodation with assistance from the American Humanist Association, arguing that relying on tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot undermines human critical thinking and moral agency. [1][2]

Under the accommodation granted through the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Durman will not be required to personally use AI systems to perform his duties supporting researchers with grants. The arrangement still carries requirements: Durman must attend meetings and cooperate with coworkers who utilize AI, and the university noted that accommodations may be reevaluated as technology and responsibilities shift to ensure they do not create an undue hardship. [1][2]

The American Humanist Association described the decision as the first exemption of its kind for Humanism, noting that federal courts recognize the secular worldview under religious accommodation standards. Durman pursued the preemptive protection after seeing recommendations from colleagues and leadership to test AI tools, having also drawn inspiration from a Unitarian Universalist software engineer, Erin Maus, who previously obtained similar protections. [1][2]