Recently, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made headlines when he urged young IT developers and tech professionals to incorporate Islamic values into artificial intelligence (AI) systems, arguing that this would ensure that AI serves humanity in a more ethical and just manner. Since coming to office in late 2022, Anwar has made the development of AI and tech in Malaysia a priority of the country’s economic agenda. In a world increasingly driven by artificial intelligence, the notion of embedding religious principles into the algorithms that shape our lives is both an intriguing and deeply troubling idea. While Anwar’s intent may be to create a moral compass for AI, the suggestion raises fundamental questions about the dangers of imbuing artificial intelligence with any form of religious or ideological dogma – even more so as Malaysia is slowly increasing its control over the media and tightening censorship on the pretext of social harmony.
To understand the risks, it is essential to first grasp what it means to imbue AI with a set of guiding principles. Artificial intelligence, in its simplest form, is a tool – an advanced tool, but a tool nonetheless. AI systems, otherwise known as large language models, learn from vast amounts of data and can be programmed to follow particular sets of rules. Yet, by giving AI a religious framework like Islam, developers are not merely programming a set of guidelines. They are imposing a belief system, one that may have profound, even uncontrollable, consequences. This is a concept that merits deep reflection, as it parallels the dangers of embedding political ideologies into AI, a scenario that’s already seen disturbing signs of realization.
The Perils of Religious AI
The crux of the problem lies in the idea that religious dogma is inherently subjective and often contradictory. Islam, for example, like all major religions, is interpreted in various ways across different cultures and schools of thought. In a world where religious conflict is often a source of profound division and violence, this kind of variability in AI’s moral compass could have dangerous and far-reaching implications.
Consider the chilling scenario depicted in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, in which a theocratic regime governs a society based on a twisted, selective interpretation of the Bible. What begins as an attempt to apply religious morality becomes a tool of oppression, justifying the controlling of women’s bodies for their political subjugation. Now imagine a similar AI system, one that is rooted in a strict interpretation of religious texts. What happens when such an AI is in charge of healthcare, criminal justice, or education? Could it justify discriminatory practices or moral absolutism in the name of divine will?
One might argue that AI should adhere to some ethical framework to guide its actions. However, the question remains: should that framework be religious? Ethical AI, which prioritizes fairness, transparency, and accountability, represents a far more nuanced approach. However, AI systems should not function as gatekeepers to spiritual salvation.
At the same time, infusing AI with religion represents a relinquishment of moral agency, which indeed threatens most monotheist theological conception of humans as moral beings, as reflections of a moral superior power. Should humans delegate ethical evaluations to AI algorithms, they may relinquish their obligation to engage in careful deliberation and discernment.
The Dangers of Political Ideology in AI
If the religious angle is concerning, embedding political ideologies into AI is equally troubling. In recent years, we’ve seen how political forces seek to shape the narrative around AI. The Chinese government, for example, is pushing for AI systems that prioritize social harmony and the state’s political agenda, using AI to monitor and control its citizens. In a similar vein, the rise of AI in Western countries, and particularly the U.S., presents its own risks. Think of AI systems that might reflect and reinforce authoritarian agendas, shaping their decisions according to a narrow set of political values.
The very essence of AI – its ability to process vast amounts of data and make decisions in ways that can seem opaque to human users – can easily be manipulated for ideological purposes. If AI systems are programmed to prioritize certain political ideologies over others, they could function as tools of oppression or coercion. A state-controlled AI, for instance, could make decisions that undermine basic freedoms, just as a religiously motivated AI might marginalize non-believers. When the algorithm becomes aligned with political or religious ideologies, it ceases to be a neutral tool and transforms into a partisan enforcer of particular beliefs.
This type of AI poses a fundamental threat to democratic society, where pluralism, debate, and individual rights are valued. Left unchecked, it could reinforce the status quo and stifle dissent. History provides countless examples of how ideology, whether religious or political, has been used to justify oppression. AI, as the next frontier in technological development, should not be asked to repeat that mistake.
Anwar’s announcement is all the more troubling in a Malaysian context that has seen the rise of state media control and an increase in the power of the religious authorities. Anwar’s government has already shown the weaknesses of its strategy of appealing to Malay conservative votes, as Malays remain largely loyal to the opposition. On the contrary, Anwar’s push for the religious agenda is a deterrent to his own supporters and could jeopardize the fragile rights of Malaysia’s religious minorities.
A Call for Ethical, Not Religious, AI
Prime Minister Anwar’s call to integrate Islamic values into AI may be a poorly thought-out attempt to introduce moral clarity into a new and powerful technology. However, the reality is that religion is an inappropriate framework for AI ethics. AI should be programmed with a broader ethical compass – one that is pluralistic, flexible, and based on shared human values such as fairness, justice, and equality. The future of AI should not be a battleground for religious or political ideologies but a realm for collaboration, creativity, and ethical reasoning that respects the diversity of the human experience – both in Malaysia and the world as a whole.