The University of Notre Dame has received a $50.8 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support the development of a faith-based ethical framework for artificial intelligence. The funding, the largest private gift in the university’s history, will back the DELTA Network, an initiative launched this fall to examine how moral and religious traditions can inform AI development and use.
University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd said Notre Dame aims to convene religious leaders, educators, and technology practitioners to address ethical questions raised by rapidly advancing AI systems. The effort comes as AI adoption accelerates in the United States amid limited federal oversight and growing debate over the role of regulation.
DELTA stands for Dignity, Embodiment, Love, Transcendence, and Agency, values the initiative seeks to translate into practical guidance rather than abstract principles. Planned activities include educational programs for young adults, regional hubs in technology centers such as Silicon Valley, and convenings bringing together engineers, executives, and ethicists.
The initiative aligns with broader concerns voiced by religious leaders, including warnings from the Vatican that AI raises social and moral risks beyond efficiency and profit. Notre Dame said the program will draw from Catholic and Christian traditions while remaining accessible to people of all faiths and secular backgrounds.
