Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Hassidic group bans use of AI
The Karlin-Stolin Hasidic community has issued new guidelines significantly limiting the use of artificial intelligence, especially among its younger members.
Released by the Hasidic Committee for Media Guidance and Advice last weekend, the rules include a total ban on teens independently interacting with AI systems. The committee described AI as technology "based on databases of billions of documents and various contents found across global computer networks," and warned that its rapid evolution demands extreme caution.
For adults, the guidelines outline strict conditions: AI may only be used to obtain specific, necessary information—not for entertainment or casual inquiry. Usage should be limited in duration, and any results should be reviewed critically, especially for accuracy and alignment with religious values.
A strong warning was issued against seeking halachic (Jewish legal) guidance from AI tools. The committee noted that such systems may fabricate sources or cite non-existent texts.
Young married men and their families, particularly those under 25, are advised to completely avoid smartphones, even filtered ones, unless absolutely necessary. The committee cautions that these devices could negatively affect their spiritual and personal well-being.
Teenagers face the most stringent restrictions: they are entirely prohibited from using AI tools on their own, whether by text or voice, even if parents are present. This ban applies equally to boys, girls, and seminary students. In cases where AI use is needed, parents are expected to consult the system themselves and share only vetted responses with their children.
For seminary graduates engaged in professional or academic studies, limited AI use is permitted, but only under parental oversight and strictly for educational or work-related purposes.
The guidelines conclude by urging community members to stay vigilant against the potential spiritual harm of AI, stressing that these restrictions are meant to protect individuals and families from being "swept away and dragged after vanity."
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