Regulating AI for Spiritual Well-Being | ICFAI 2025
Research Paper

Regulating Artificial Intelligence for Spiritual Well-Being: A Legal and Ethical Framework for Protecting Digital Faith Communities in Africa

Emmanuel Tochukwu Okpara
Department of Criminology and Security Studies,
University of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Umuagwo, Imo State, Nigeria.
Abstract

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in contemporary religious practice (from algorithm-driven religious content to AI-powered spiritual assistants) the intersection between digital technology and spirituality raises profound normative, ethical, and legal questions. This paper examines the regulatory gaps and emerging risks posed by AI to the spiritual well-being of individuals and faith communities in Africa, with particular focus on Nigeria and Rwanda. It explores how unregulated AI systems can distort spiritual discernment, facilitate religious manipulation, amplify harmful content, and commercialise sacred beliefs through algorithmic profiling. Drawing on the Nigeria Data Protection Act (2023), Rwanda’s data governance structures, international AI regulatory models, and African communitarian values, the paper proposes a contextualised legal-ethical framework for safeguarding digital spirituality. It argues that regulatory interventions must balance innovation with the protection of human dignity, autonomy, and spiritual agency, principles foundational to African religious and cultural traditions. The study adopts a doctrinal-analytical methodology complemented by multidisciplinary insights from theology, data protection, and AI ethics. The paper concludes by recommending rights-based, culturally grounded regulatory mechanisms that strengthen trust, ensure responsible AI deployment, and preserve the authenticity of spiritual experience in the digital age.

Keywords
Artificial Intelligence Spirituality Data Protection Digital Rights Faith communities