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Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday work. From drafting emails and analyzing spreadsheets to writing code and creating presentations, AI-powered tools are reshaping how millions of professionals perform their jobs. Yet as organizations accelerate adoption, a new workplace question is beginning to emerge: Can an employee legally refuse to use AI based on religious beliefs?

The answer is more nuanced than many people realize. Under federal employment law, employees may request a religious accommodation if using artificial intelligence conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs. Whether that request is granted depends on the specific circumstances of the job, the nature of the religious objection, and whether accommodating the request would create an undue hardship for the employer.

As AI becomes embedded across industries, employment attorneys expect these conversations to become increasingly common.

AI Adoption Is Moving Faster Than Employee Comfort

Few workplace technologies have been adopted as quickly as generative AI. According to McKinsey, more than 78% of organizations worldwide now report using AI in at least one business function, up significantly from just a few years ago. Deloitte projects that enterprise spending on generative AI will continue climbing sharply throughout the decade as organizations seek productivity gains and competitive advantages.

Employees, however, remain divided.

Research from Cornerstone OnDemand found that approximately 33% of workers in the United States and United Kingdom express negative emotions toward workplace AI, including anxiety, distrust, or resistance. While many concerns center on job security and privacy, others involve ethical, environmental, or religious considerations.

Meanwhile, surveys by Microsoft and LinkedIn indicate that well over 70% of knowledge workers are already using AI at work, whether formally approved or independently adopted. This growing reliance increases the likelihood that employees with religious objections may eventually seek accommodations.

What Federal Law Says About Religious Accommodations

The primary federal law governing religious accommodations in the workplace is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The law requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for an employee's sincerely held religious beliefs unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on business operations.

Importantly, the law extends beyond traditional organized religions. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recognizes that sincerely held moral or ethical beliefs occupying a place similar to traditional religious beliefs may also qualify for protection. This means an employee's request is evaluated based on the sincerity of the belief—not whether the employer agrees with the belief itself.

The workplace has already seen a significant volume of religious accommodation requests in recent years. Following COVID-19 vaccine mandates, the EEOC received more than 10,000 religious accommodation-related charges, demonstrating that employers are increasingly experienced in handling these requests through formal HR processes.

Why Some Employees Object to Artificial Intelligence

Religious objections to AI are not always rooted in technology itself. Instead, they often stem from broader beliefs about human dignity, stewardship, ethics, environmental responsibility, or concerns about replacing human judgment with machine-generated decision-making. Some faith traditions emphasize the uniqueness of human creativity and conscience, while others raise questions about the ethical development or deployment of emerging technologies.

One widely discussed example involved a software engineer who reportedly received a religious accommodation allowing work without AI tools after explaining that their Unitarian Universalist beliefs conflicted with the environmental and ethical implications associated with large-scale AI systems. Although individual cases rarely establish legal precedent, they illustrate how employers may evaluate accommodation requests on a case-by-case basis.

Interest has also grown among some Catholic employees following the publication of a 42,000-word papal encyclical by Pope Leo XIV addressing the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. While Church teachings may influence an individual's beliefs, the existence of religious guidance alone does not automatically entitle an employee to an accommodation. Each request must still satisfy applicable legal standards.

The 2023 Supreme Court Decision Changed the Standard

One of the most significant legal developments affecting religious accommodations occurred in Groff v. DeJoy, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023. Before that decision, employers often denied accommodations by arguing they created more than a minimal burden on business operations. The Supreme Court raised that threshold considerably.

Today, employers generally must demonstrate that granting the accommodation would impose substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of their business rather than simply creating inconvenience or minor inefficiencies. For employees requesting alternatives to AI, this higher standard could influence how accommodation requests are evaluated.

However, the decision does not guarantee approval.

When an Employer May Deny an AI Religious Exemption

Employers retain the right to deny accommodation requests under several circumstances. If artificial intelligence constitutes an essential function of the position, eliminating its use may fundamentally change the job. This could apply to positions involving AI-driven medical diagnostics, cybersecurity monitoring, automated compliance systems, software development workflows, or contractual obligations requiring AI-enabled platforms.

Employers may also deny accommodations if replacing AI with manual processes creates significant operational costs, substantially delays customer service, compromises workplace safety, or materially reduces productivity in ways that meaningfully affect business operations.

Each determination depends on the facts surrounding the specific role rather than a blanket company policy.

Employees Must Demonstrate Sincerely Held Beliefs

One common misconception is that employers cannot question religious accommodation requests. In reality, employers may inquire into whether an employee's beliefs are sincerely held, particularly when there is objective reason to question the request. They cannot evaluate whether the religious doctrine is correct, but they may examine consistency, supporting documentation, or explanations demonstrating the genuine nature of the belief.

This assessment differs significantly from evaluating the validity of a religion itself.

How to Request a Religious Accommodation

Employees considering an accommodation should begin by contacting their Human Resources department or designated accommodation coordinator. The request typically starts an interactive process, during which both employee and employer explore potential solutions.

A well-prepared request generally includes:

• A clear explanation of how AI use conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs.
• A proposed alternative method for completing assigned work without AI assistance.
• An explanation of how essential job responsibilities can continue to be performed effectively.
• Supporting documentation if requested and appropriate.

The objective is not necessarily to eliminate job responsibilities but to identify a reasonable way to accomplish them through alternative methods.

AI Accommodation Requests May Become More Common

Artificial intelligence is expected to influence nearly every profession over the coming decade. The World Economic Forum estimates that AI and automation will transform millions of existing jobs while simultaneously creating entirely new categories of work. Goldman Sachs has estimated that generative AI could affect the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs globally, although many changes will involve augmentation rather than replacement.

As organizations increasingly integrate AI into everyday workflows, HR professionals are likely to encounter a broader range of accommodation requests involving ethics, privacy, disability, and religion. For employers, that means developing consistent policies grounded in federal employment law. For employees, it means understanding both the protections available under Title VII and the limitations imposed when AI becomes an essential component of performing the job.

The intersection of artificial intelligence and religious liberty remains an evolving area of employment law. While federal law allows employees to request religious accommodations related to AI use, approval depends on balancing sincerely held beliefs with legitimate business needs. As AI adoption accelerates across industries, organizations that approach these requests thoughtfully, consistently, and in compliance with established legal standards will be better positioned to navigate one of the workplace's newest legal frontiers.

Sources

• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) – Title VII Religious Accommodation guidance and religious discrimination enforcement data.
• U.S. Supreme Court – Groff v. DeJoy (2023) decision regarding the undue hardship standard for religious accommodations.
• McKinsey & Company – The State of AI global adoption reports.
• Cornerstone OnDemand – Global Workforce AI sentiment research.
• Microsoft & LinkedIn – Work Trend Index (AI adoption in the workplace).
• World Economic Forum – Future of Jobs Report.
• Goldman Sachs Research – Economic impact of generative AI on global employment.
• Deloitte – Enterprise AI and Generative AI market outlook.
• U.S. Department of Justice – Civil Rights Division guidance on religious accommodations in employment.
• The Vatican – Papal encyclical addressing artificial intelligence, ethics, and human dignity.