African Church Leaders Embrace AI: Balancing Tech with Ethics

Published Date : 23-07-2025 

Church leaders in Africa are exploring the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on their communities, aiming to ensure its development aligns with moral and ethical standards. 

Church leaders at a recent consultation in Nairobi heard that artificial intelligence (AI), defined as the use of computer systems to perform tasks that require human intelligence, is transforming every aspect of life and influencing human relations across the globe.

“Faith leaders need to pay attention to the moral and ethical implications of its development and use. We need to think and pray for wisdom so that we can safeguard the integrity and dignity of creation,” Rev. Dr Fidon Mwombeki, general secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches, told the gathering.

The All Africa Conference of Churches and the Future of Life Institute, a US-based organization that works to reduce extreme risks of transformative technologies, organized the 8-9 July meeting to explore the phenomenon’s impact on African societies, its ethical concerns, and the role of religious leaders in its governance. Church leaders from across Africa and experts in the field attended the meeting.

Part of the meeting’s outcome included an agreement to establish a permanent All Africa Conference of Churches AI and Faith Working Group, training programs, and the incorporation of AI learning in seminaries and Christian education curricula. Churches will also develop policy briefs for governments and the African Union and come up with an African-centered ethical framework for AI development and use.

While AI promises to benefit education, improve healthcare, better agricultural yields, and improve early warnings related to climate and disasters, there is also a complex range of risks, according to the experts. Humphrey Muchuma, founder and chief executive officer of INUA-AI, outlined some of the risks, including the potential to wipe out cultural and religious identity, the spread of disinformation, the intensification of poverty due to job losses, and the compromising of humans' ability to control morality, among others.

Muchuma warned that if left unchecked, AI posed a threat to human values, faith, and freedoms. “Religious people must help guide how AI serves Africa’s people,” he said, adding that churches can advocate for ethical AI, educate their followers, and influence policy so that the deployment protects religious freedom.

According to the Rev. Dr Lesmore Gibson Ezekiel, director of programs at the All Africa Conference of Churches, the church leaders were apprehensive over AI’s possible disruption of human relations and aspects essential for emotional accompaniment. “AI cannot replace human emotional attachment. Sadly, a sizeable number of young people are relying on AI for many things, including emotional therapy,” he said.

Ezekiel said the AI conversation is best addressed through the theology of the economy of life, which enables an individual to ask critical moral and ethical questions. “Challenges should be responded to through the lenses of the theology of the economy of life, knowing that not everything possible is morally and ethically appropriate for human wellbeing,” said the cleric.

Faith groups in some countries have made progress in addressing AI concerns. Early this year, the Nigeria Religious Coalition on Artificial Intelligence —a collaborative platform of Christians and Muslims— convened multi-sector interventions, advocating for ethical, faith-informed governance of AI. The project attracted 500 stakeholders, including religious leaders, policymakers, and legal experts. “The activities mark a pivotal step in positioning Nigeria’s religious institutions as stakeholders in shaping the nation’s technological future,” Rev. Kolade Fadahunsi, director of the Institute of Church and Society, Ibadan, told the gathering. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the main concern of African church leaders regarding AI?

A: The main concern is the moral and ethical implications of AI, including its potential to disrupt human relations and cultural identity.

Q: What are the benefits of AI discussed in the meeting?

A: AI promises to benefit education, improve healthcare, better agricultural yields, and enhance early warnings related to climate and disasters.

Q: What risks did Humphrey Muchuma highlight about AI?

A: Humphrey Muchuma outlined risks such as the potential to wipe out cultural and religious identity, spread disinformation, intensify poverty due to job losses, and compromise human control over morality.

Q: What is the theology of the economy of life, and how does it relate to AI?

A: The theology of the economy of life helps individuals ask critical moral and ethical questions, ensuring that not everything possible is appropriate for human wellbeing, especially in the context of AI.

Q: What steps have been taken in Nigeria to address AI concerns?

A: The Nigeria Religious Coalition on Artificial Intelligence has convened multi-sector interventions, advocating for ethical, faith-informed governance of AI, attracting 500 stakeholders including religious leaders, policymakers, and legal experts. 

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