The Pope’s AI Warning Could Help Workers Seek Religious Exemptions From Using AI![The Pope’s AI Warning Could Help Workers Seek Religious Exemptions From Using AI
Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical on AI could set off a wave of workers seeking religious exemptions from using the tech at work. One software engineer in North Carolina already secured one last month, Business Insider reports. Erin Maus, a Unitarian Universalist, first sought the accommodation in April at the large tech-entertainment company where she works, which she described as progressive. She argued that using AI did not align with her religious beliefs because of environmental and ethical concerns. Maus was granted the exemption in May, before the pope’s AI remarks. “I’m writing my code and reviewing my code by hand, which seems crazy to say,” Maus told Business Insider. “Just two years ago, how else would you do it?”
Maus is unlikely to be the only person seeking a similar accommodation as companies increasingly invest in AI and push, sometimes even mandate, employees to use the technology. In the U.S., the share of employees who say they use AI at least a few times a year at work has nearly doubled from 21% to 40% in 2025, according to Gallup.
Now, the pope’s remarks and official theological document could give some workers a stronger argument. “In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human,” the pope wrote in his 43,000-word encyclical titled Magnifica Humanitas, published last month. He wrote that AI is dehumanizing society by reducing “the mystery of the person into data and performance” and called on the tech industry to avoid “the idolatry of profit that sacrifices the weak.”
The pope continued that “a slower pace in adopting AI does not mean opposing progress; instead, it is an exercise of responsible care for the human family.” That call for a slower adoption of AI could be enough for some workers to argue they should not be required to use it on the job. “When he’s speaking, he’s speaking as the pontiff—as a religious figure—so he’s raising these human dignity issues as religious issues, theological issues,” Jonathan Segal, an employment attorney and Duane Morris partner, told HR Brew this month. “I think it is inevitable that some employees will rely on this to say…I can’t use AI because it conflicts with a religious belief that I have.” Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers are required to make reasonable accommodations for workers whose sincerely held religious beliefs conflict with a work requirement, unless the accommodation creates an undue hardship for the employer.
And it’s not a stretch to think some of these requests could at least get serious consideration. Just a few months ago, Rex Healthcare agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a lawsuit from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing the company of unlawfully denying a remote employee’s request to be exempted from its mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy over religious beliefs. “I think this opens a door—or it’s a little bit of a road map—for employees to raise concerns,” Segal told HR Brew. “What the courts have said—what the EEOC has most definitely said—is that, as the general proposition, we shouldn’t question the legitimacy [of] sincerely held religious beliefs.” #Popes #Warning #Workers #Seek #Religious #ExemptionsAI,Pope Leo XIV,work The Pope’s AI Warning Could Help Workers Seek Religious Exemptions From Using AI
Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical on AI could set off a wave of workers seeking religious exemptions from using the tech at work. One software engineer in North Carolina already secured one last month, Business Insider reports. Erin Maus, a Unitarian Universalist, first sought the accommodation in April at the large tech-entertainment company where she works, which she described as progressive. She argued that using AI did not align with her religious beliefs because of environmental and ethical concerns. Maus was granted the exemption in May, before the pope’s AI remarks. “I’m writing my code and reviewing my code by hand, which seems crazy to say,” Maus told Business Insider. “Just two years ago, how else would you do it?”
Maus is unlikely to be the only person seeking a similar accommodation as companies increasingly invest in AI and push, sometimes even mandate, employees to use the technology. In the U.S., the share of employees who say they use AI at least a few times a year at work has nearly doubled from 21% to 40% in 2025, according to Gallup.
Now, the pope’s remarks and official theological document could give some workers a stronger argument. “In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human,” the pope wrote in his 43,000-word encyclical titled Magnifica Humanitas, published last month. He wrote that AI is dehumanizing society by reducing “the mystery of the person into data and performance” and called on the tech industry to avoid “the idolatry of profit that sacrifices the weak.”
The pope continued that “a slower pace in adopting AI does not mean opposing progress; instead, it is an exercise of responsible care for the human family.” That call for a slower adoption of AI could be enough for some workers to argue they should not be required to use it on the job. “When he’s speaking, he’s speaking as the pontiff—as a religious figure—so he’s raising these human dignity issues as religious issues, theological issues,” Jonathan Segal, an employment attorney and Duane Morris partner, told HR Brew this month. “I think it is inevitable that some employees will rely on this to say…I can’t use AI because it conflicts with a religious belief that I have.” Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers are required to make reasonable accommodations for workers whose sincerely held religious beliefs conflict with a work requirement, unless the accommodation creates an undue hardship for the employer.
And it’s not a stretch to think some of these requests could at least get serious consideration. Just a few months ago, Rex Healthcare agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a lawsuit from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing the company of unlawfully denying a remote employee’s request to be exempted from its mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy over religious beliefs. “I think this opens a door—or it’s a little bit of a road map—for employees to raise concerns,” Segal told HR Brew. “What the courts have said—what the EEOC has most definitely said—is that, as the general proposition, we shouldn’t question the legitimacy [of] sincerely held religious beliefs.” #Popes #Warning #Workers #Seek #Religious #ExemptionsAI,Pope Leo XIV,work](https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2666910201-1280x853.jpg)
Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical on AI could set off a wave of workers seeking religious exemptions from using the tech at work.
One software engineer in North Carolina already secured one last month, Business Insider reports.
Erin Maus, a Unitarian Universalist, first sought the accommodation in April at the large tech-entertainment company where she works, which she described as progressive. She argued that using AI did not align with her religious beliefs because of environmental and ethical concerns.
Maus was granted the exemption in May, before the pope’s AI remarks.
“I’m writing my code and reviewing my code by hand, which seems crazy to say,” Maus told Business Insider. “Just two years ago, how else would you do it?”
Maus is unlikely to be the only person seeking a similar accommodation as companies increasingly invest in AI and push, sometimes even mandate, employees to use the technology. In the U.S., the share of employees who say they use AI at least a few times a year at work has nearly doubled from 21% to 40% in 2025, according to Gallup.
Now, the pope’s remarks and official theological document could give some workers a stronger argument.
“In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human,” the pope wrote in his 43,000-word encyclical titled Magnifica Humanitas, published last month.
He wrote that AI is dehumanizing society by reducing “the mystery of the person into data and performance” and called on the tech industry to avoid “the idolatry of profit that sacrifices the weak.”
The pope continued that “a slower pace in adopting AI does not mean opposing progress; instead, it is an exercise of responsible care for the human family.”
That call for a slower adoption of AI could be enough for some workers to argue they should not be required to use it on the job.
“When he’s speaking, he’s speaking as the pontiff—as a religious figure—so he’s raising these human dignity issues as religious issues, theological issues,” Jonathan Segal, an employment attorney and Duane Morris partner, told HR Brew this month. “I think it is inevitable that some employees will rely on this to say…I can’t use AI because it conflicts with a religious belief that I have.”
Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers are required to make reasonable accommodations for workers whose sincerely held religious beliefs conflict with a work requirement, unless the accommodation creates an undue hardship for the employer.
And it’s not a stretch to think some of these requests could at least get serious consideration. Just a few months ago, Rex Healthcare agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a lawsuit from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing the company of unlawfully denying a remote employee’s request to be exempted from its mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy over religious beliefs.
“I think this opens a door—or it’s a little bit of a road map—for employees to raise concerns,” Segal told HR Brew. “What the courts have said—what the EEOC has most definitely said—is that, as the general proposition, we shouldn’t question the legitimacy [of] sincerely held religious beliefs.”
#Popes #Warning #Workers #Seek #Religious #ExemptionsAI,Pope Leo XIV,work
Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical on AI could set off a wave of workers seeking religious exemptions from using the tech at work.
One software engineer in North Carolina already secured one last month, Business Insider reports.
Erin Maus, a Unitarian Universalist, first sought the accommodation in April at the large tech-entertainment company where she works, which she described as progressive. She argued that using AI did not align with her religious beliefs because of environmental and ethical concerns.
Maus was granted the exemption in May, before the pope’s AI remarks.
“I’m writing my code and reviewing my code by hand, which seems crazy to say,” Maus told Business Insider. “Just two years ago, how else would you do it?”
Maus is unlikely to be the only person seeking a similar accommodation as companies increasingly invest in AI and push, sometimes even mandate, employees to use the technology. In the U.S., the share of employees who say they use AI at least a few times a year at work has nearly doubled from 21% to 40% in 2025, according to Gallup.
Now, the pope’s remarks and official theological document could give some workers a stronger argument.
“In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human,” the pope wrote in his 43,000-word encyclical titled Magnifica Humanitas, published last month.
He wrote that AI is dehumanizing society by reducing “the mystery of the person into data and performance” and called on the tech industry to avoid “the idolatry of profit that sacrifices the weak.”
The pope continued that “a slower pace in adopting AI does not mean opposing progress; instead, it is an exercise of responsible care for the human family.”
That call for a slower adoption of AI could be enough for some workers to argue they should not be required to use it on the job.
“When he’s speaking, he’s speaking as the pontiff—as a religious figure—so he’s raising these human dignity issues as religious issues, theological issues,” Jonathan Segal, an employment attorney and Duane Morris partner, told HR Brew this month. “I think it is inevitable that some employees will rely on this to say…I can’t use AI because it conflicts with a religious belief that I have.”
Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers are required to make reasonable accommodations for workers whose sincerely held religious beliefs conflict with a work requirement, unless the accommodation creates an undue hardship for the employer.
And it’s not a stretch to think some of these requests could at least get serious consideration. Just a few months ago, Rex Healthcare agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a lawsuit from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing the company of unlawfully denying a remote employee’s request to be exempted from its mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy over religious beliefs.
“I think this opens a door—or it’s a little bit of a road map—for employees to raise concerns,” Segal told HR Brew. “What the courts have said—what the EEOC has most definitely said—is that, as the general proposition, we shouldn’t question the legitimacy [of] sincerely held religious beliefs.”



![‘My Adventures With Superman’ Creators Talk New Kara/Jimmy Super Ship
The second season of Adult Swim’s My Adventures With Superman introduced Supergirl, and it didn’t take long for her to become a fan-favorite. Starting off as a soldier and the adoptive daughter of Brainiac before joining her cousin to defend Earth, Kara’s back for season three—and much like Clark and their friends, she’s got some stuff to figure out. Kara’s arc this season is about her settling into becoming Metropolis’ newest protector and sorting out where she and Jimmy stand. Last season made it clear there were sparks on both sides, but in classic romantic tension fashion, neither have revealed their feelings in full. Jimmy thinks Kara should at least become more adjusted to Earth, which she plans to do…by going on dates with other people. This week’s episode, “All’s Fair in Love and W.O.R.M.S.,” sees Kara consult Lois for help with her many matches on dating apps. Meanwhile, Jimmy goes on a date in the hopes of making his Kryptonian friend jealous, with a slight problem: his date, Doris, is actually “Gigi,” aka Giganta, the popular Wonder Woman villain. And in a very Jimmy situation, she’s both into him and wants to run a few experiments on him, including turning him into a wolf.
Before the season’s premiere, io9 talked with co-showrunners Jake Wyatt and Brendan Clogher about the show’s other love story. While Kara and Jimmy get paired up every once in a while in comics or other media, Wyatt noted they’re not a “near-sacred pop culture thing” like Clark and Lois. As such, My Adventures With Superman is free to put its younger duo through more stress and modern dating troubles. But it’s not just a matter of testing Kara and Jimmy with one obstacle after another.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbfUC3-qU8s[/embed] Every relationship faces trials that can often make one half—or even both halves—look bad. Putting Kara and Jimmy in various situations on the path to love is part of the show’s DNA, but he and Wyatt said there’s a limit to what can be done without betraying who these characters are. “It’s a tightrope to keep audience credibility with these two and keep them likable,” Clogher acknowledged. “Supergirl is Supergirl, but we can bend the rules a bit more with Jimmy. He’s emotionally intelligent, but it’s easier to like him when he’s being bad.” “Jimmy’s off being goofus so Kara can be gallant,” added Wyatt. “If Clark and Lois are the romcom, these two are romantic chaos.” The popular manga and anime Ranma 1/2 was cited as a source for the latter term, and it definitely applies. With Jimmy’s love life taking center stage this season, the team knew they wanted him to have an arc of dating mad-scientists, which would let them turn him into animals as he had in the comics. While doing story revisions on “W.O.R.M.S.,” they realized the episode needed a bigger set piece for the third act—a “King Kong moment,” if you will—but the initial villain they had couldn’t really lead to that escalation.
So Giganta was added, allowing for a scene where she changes her size and kidnaps Jimmy before climbing a skyscraper with plans to make him just like her. Wyatt said DC “played ball really well” when it came to including her, and has generally been a good partner in that regard, including getting the Whip in last week’s episode. “Some of [our villains] are about DC notes,” he explained. “Other times, it was with DC assistance.” We won’t spoil Jimmy’s next date, but know that the character was also done with some DC advice, and they’re even more ridiculous than Giganta—and more trying on Kara. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCq12i5r3Ug[/embed] Speaking of her, io9 asked if there were any plans to put Kara in some romantic hijinks of her own outside of Jimmy’s orbit. The pair admitted that yes, the team had episode ideas where she’d go on dates, from Steve Lombard to some supervillains. “Those [villain dates] would’ve ended in swift and violent justice,” said Wyatt, which sounds like a riot. Unfortunately, these ideas were some of many in the season to be cut, so the team opted to give Kara a more serious arc of coming into her own as a hero. That journey, part of which involves her little fangirl Jessica Cruz, will play out as My Adventures With Superman continues with new episodes this summer. But if the show comes back for season four, maybe then we’ll see the Woman of Tomorrow make some bad romantic choices. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Adventures #Superman #Creators #Talk #KaraJimmy #Super #ShipJimmy Olsen,My Adventures with Superman,Supergirl,Superman ‘My Adventures With Superman’ Creators Talk New Kara/Jimmy Super Ship
The second season of Adult Swim’s My Adventures With Superman introduced Supergirl, and it didn’t take long for her to become a fan-favorite. Starting off as a soldier and the adoptive daughter of Brainiac before joining her cousin to defend Earth, Kara’s back for season three—and much like Clark and their friends, she’s got some stuff to figure out. Kara’s arc this season is about her settling into becoming Metropolis’ newest protector and sorting out where she and Jimmy stand. Last season made it clear there were sparks on both sides, but in classic romantic tension fashion, neither have revealed their feelings in full. Jimmy thinks Kara should at least become more adjusted to Earth, which she plans to do…by going on dates with other people. This week’s episode, “All’s Fair in Love and W.O.R.M.S.,” sees Kara consult Lois for help with her many matches on dating apps. Meanwhile, Jimmy goes on a date in the hopes of making his Kryptonian friend jealous, with a slight problem: his date, Doris, is actually “Gigi,” aka Giganta, the popular Wonder Woman villain. And in a very Jimmy situation, she’s both into him and wants to run a few experiments on him, including turning him into a wolf.
Before the season’s premiere, io9 talked with co-showrunners Jake Wyatt and Brendan Clogher about the show’s other love story. While Kara and Jimmy get paired up every once in a while in comics or other media, Wyatt noted they’re not a “near-sacred pop culture thing” like Clark and Lois. As such, My Adventures With Superman is free to put its younger duo through more stress and modern dating troubles. But it’s not just a matter of testing Kara and Jimmy with one obstacle after another.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbfUC3-qU8s[/embed] Every relationship faces trials that can often make one half—or even both halves—look bad. Putting Kara and Jimmy in various situations on the path to love is part of the show’s DNA, but he and Wyatt said there’s a limit to what can be done without betraying who these characters are. “It’s a tightrope to keep audience credibility with these two and keep them likable,” Clogher acknowledged. “Supergirl is Supergirl, but we can bend the rules a bit more with Jimmy. He’s emotionally intelligent, but it’s easier to like him when he’s being bad.” “Jimmy’s off being goofus so Kara can be gallant,” added Wyatt. “If Clark and Lois are the romcom, these two are romantic chaos.” The popular manga and anime Ranma 1/2 was cited as a source for the latter term, and it definitely applies. With Jimmy’s love life taking center stage this season, the team knew they wanted him to have an arc of dating mad-scientists, which would let them turn him into animals as he had in the comics. While doing story revisions on “W.O.R.M.S.,” they realized the episode needed a bigger set piece for the third act—a “King Kong moment,” if you will—but the initial villain they had couldn’t really lead to that escalation.
So Giganta was added, allowing for a scene where she changes her size and kidnaps Jimmy before climbing a skyscraper with plans to make him just like her. Wyatt said DC “played ball really well” when it came to including her, and has generally been a good partner in that regard, including getting the Whip in last week’s episode. “Some of [our villains] are about DC notes,” he explained. “Other times, it was with DC assistance.” We won’t spoil Jimmy’s next date, but know that the character was also done with some DC advice, and they’re even more ridiculous than Giganta—and more trying on Kara. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCq12i5r3Ug[/embed] Speaking of her, io9 asked if there were any plans to put Kara in some romantic hijinks of her own outside of Jimmy’s orbit. The pair admitted that yes, the team had episode ideas where she’d go on dates, from Steve Lombard to some supervillains. “Those [villain dates] would’ve ended in swift and violent justice,” said Wyatt, which sounds like a riot. Unfortunately, these ideas were some of many in the season to be cut, so the team opted to give Kara a more serious arc of coming into her own as a hero. That journey, part of which involves her little fangirl Jessica Cruz, will play out as My Adventures With Superman continues with new episodes this summer. But if the show comes back for season four, maybe then we’ll see the Woman of Tomorrow make some bad romantic choices. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Adventures #Superman #Creators #Talk #KaraJimmy #Super #ShipJimmy Olsen,My Adventures with Superman,Supergirl,Superman](https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2025/09/io9-2025-spoiler.png)



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