A New Chapter in AI Literacy at Shaw University

Founded after the Civil War to increase religious literacy among formerly enslaved people, Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, is now embarking on a new educational endeavor: AI literacy. The university’s divinity school will soon offer a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) degree in Artificial Intelligence and Moral Agency, aiming to explore the ethical dimensions of AI technology.

Mark Harden, Dean of Shaw University Divinity School, emphasizes the importance of AI literacy for vulnerable communities, with a focus on social justice and ethics. The divinity school has obtained approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and is now pursuing accrediting from the Association of Theological Schools.

Shaw’s AI degree would be the first among the Association of Theological Schools network at the master’s or doctoral level, according to Chris Meinzer, ATS’s chief operating officer. Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good recently received a substantial donation of $50 million from the Lilly Endowment to establish the DELTA network to aid pastors, churches, and schools in tackling AI-related challenges. DELTA stands for dignity, embodiment, love, transcendence, and agency, reflecting core Christian principles.

Meghan Sullivan, director of the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good at Notre Dame, believes theological schools are well-suited to examining AI ethics due to their long tradition of reflecting on human agency within Christianity. Sullivan further speculates on how theological perspectives might inform understanding of AI’s role in human decision-making.

Pope Leo XIV contributed to the dialogue earlier this year with his encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” which seeks to preserve human dignity and agency as AI increasingly undertakes roles traditionally filled by humans. His letter aims to prevent tech firms from defining AI ethics unilaterally. The critical engagement with AI now extends to divinity schools, as exemplified by Philip Butler at Iliff School of Theology, who lectures on AI’s societal impact and its intended users.

Shaw University, a historically Black theological institution, played a significant role in the Civil Rights movement, particularly through the contributions of Ella Baker and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Dean Harden points to this legacy of civic-mindedness, asserting that delving into AI ethics is a natural progression for the school.

The upcoming doctoral program at Shaw already has 66 prospective students. Scheduled to begin in January, the divinity school offers two existing master’s degree programs and intends to expand its offerings with the new AI-focused degree. Applicants should possess a master’s degree in arts or divinity and have five years of experience in pastoral ministry or related fields. With classes available online since COVID-19, most students enrolled will maintain non-church jobs alongside their studies.

To support the new program, Shaw’s divinity school is hiring additional faculty with AI certifications. Completing the degree will take an estimated three to four years.