At the close of the Civil War, a Union soldier and Baptist minister founded a school in Raleigh, North Carolina, aimed at providing religious literacy to formerly enslaved individuals. Today, Shaw University seeks to expand its educational mission with a focus on AI literacy. Starting next year, Shaw’s divinity school will offer a new degree track: a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) in Artificial Intelligence and Moral Agency.

As AI increasingly undertakes tasks traditionally performed by humans, the divinity school aims to explore its moral implications proactively. Mark Harden, dean of Shaw University Divinity School, emphasized, “We say Shaw was created to provide leadership in building literacy. This is our second calling because we’re building AI literacy for vulnerable communities with an emphasis on social justice and ethics.”

In June, the divinity school received approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. They are currently seeking accreditation from the Commission on Accrediting at the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), a network of 280 graduate theology schools across the U.S. and Canada.

According to Chris Meinzer, ATS’s chief operating officer, Shaw’s AI degree will be the first of its kind among ATS member schools at the master’s or doctoral level. Other divinity schools have begun offering courses on AI and ethics.

In December, the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good at Notre Dame received a $50 million gift from the Lilly Endowment to support the DELTA network. This network will provide practical resources for dealing with AI-related challenges, focusing on core Christian values like dignity, embodiment, love, transcendence, and agency.

Meghan Sullivan, a philosopher and director at the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good, remarked on the increasing seriousness with which institutions are approaching AI’s ethical implications. She noted that theology schools offer a solid foundation for studying AI’s ethical dimensions due to their long history of contemplating human agency.

Reflections on AI gained significant momentum when Pope Leo XIV issued the “Magnifica Humanitas” encyclical, advocating for the protection of human dignity and agency amid AI’s expanding role in society.

Divinity schools are engaging critically with AI, including Philip Butler at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver. Butler’s classes examine who benefits and who may be marginalized by AI development.

This topic resonates with historically Black theological institutions like Shaw University, which played a pivotal role during the Civil Rights era. Shaw alumni, like Ella Baker, were influential in the movement. The university’s history of civic engagement aligns with its new AI literacy mission, explained Dean Harden.

Approximately 66 people have expressed interest in the doctoral program, set to launch in January. The divinity school, which currently enrolls around 65 students, offers a Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry and a Master of Divinity. Candidates with a master’s degree in arts or divinity and five years of professional experience in pastoral ministry or related fields like social work are eligible to apply.

The divinity school plans to offer online classes, a shift made during the COVID pandemic. They are also hiring staff for the new degree program, ensuring instructors have AI certification. The program will take three to four years to complete.