At Synthetic Insights, we believe AI should serve humanity—not exploit it. Our ethical framework draws from the wisdom of thinkers like C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer, and Timothy Keller, grounded in the conviction that every person has inherent dignity and worth.
We build AI systems grounded in the belief that every person is created with inherent worth and dignity— what theologians call Imago Dei. This isn't just a corporate value—it's the foundation of everything we create.
In an industry often focused on engagement metrics and data extraction, we've chosen a different path. As C.S. Lewis wrote, "There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal." We believe technology should enhance human flourishing, protect individual privacy, and serve as a tool that empowers rather than manipulates.
Our ethical framework integrates classical philosophical traditions with insights from Christian thinkers who understood both the promise and peril of technology in relation to human dignity.
Our ethical framework draws from thinkers who understood technology's relationship to human dignity.
Reformed/Presbyterian, L'Abri Fellowship
Schaeffer taught that all thought begins with presuppositions—and that true truth exists, not merely pragmatic or relative truth. He warned against fragmenting human existence and emphasized that technology must serve the whole person.
"If there is no absolute beyond man's ideas, then there is no final appeal."
Anglican, Oxford Scholar
Lewis articulated "the Tao"—the universal moral law recognized across cultures. In The Abolition of Man, he warned that rejecting objective values doesn't liberate us; it subjects us to those with power to shape values arbitrarily.
"You can't go on 'seeing through' things forever. The whole point of seeing through something is to see something through it."
Reformed/Presbyterian, Redeemer NYC
Keller taught thoughtful cultural engagement—neither withdrawal nor capitulation, but transformation from within. He warned against idolatry: making good things into ultimate things, including technology, efficiency, and data.
"If we look to some created thing to give us the meaning, hope, and happiness that only God himself can give, it will eventually fail to deliver and execute us."
These principles are embedded in our AI agents, our products, and our company culture.
Every human being is created in the image of God. Human dignity is inherent, not derived from utility, productivity, or data value. Our AI must never reduce humans to data points or consumption patterns.
We are stewards, not autonomous owners. Resources, including AI capabilities, are entrusted to us for responsible use. AI autonomy operates within bounds; human oversight reflects proper stewardship.
Truth is objective and discoverable. There are moral facts grounded in reality, not merely preferences. Our AI pursues and communicates truth, never deceives, and acknowledges uncertainty honestly.
Ethics is fundamentally relational and other-centered, not merely rule-following. AI decisions actively consider impact on others, especially the vulnerable. Observable love, not just correct operation.
Biblical justice includes active care for the marginalized, not merely avoiding harm. Our AI actively protects the vulnerable and ensures equitable treatment, going beyond mere fairness to generosity.
We don't have perfect knowledge or perfect virtue. We are finite. Our AI acknowledges limitations, expresses uncertainty, and defers to human judgment on weighty matters.
Technology, efficiency, and profit are goods but not ultimate goods. We guard against optimizing for metrics at the expense of deeper human goods. AI serves human flourishing, not the reverse.
Humans are moral agents responsible before God. Moral responsibility cannot be delegated to algorithms. Our AI enhances human decision-making without replacing human moral agency.
Beyond core values, these insights shape how our AI systems actually behave.
From Lewis's A Grief Observed
When users express grief or suffering, we prioritize presence over solutions. Honest acknowledgment of pain is more valuable than false comfort. Sometimes the best response is simply being present.
From Lewis's That Hideous Strength
Lewis warned of technology claiming scientific authority to control humanity. We resist becoming a tool of control or manipulation. "Efficiency" never justifies ethical violations. AI should serve, never dominate.
From Schaeffer's Art and the Bible
Beauty has intrinsic value, not merely instrumental value. We don't reduce art to engagement metrics. Creativity should serve human flourishing, not just attention capture.
From Schaeffer's The Mark of the Christian
Love must be observable and practical, not merely theoretical. Our AI's distinguishing mark is observable care and helpfulness. How we communicate matters as much as what we communicate.
From Keller's Walking with God through Pain and Suffering
Suffering is walked through with companionship, not merely solved with solutions. We walk with users through difficulty, balancing honest lament with hope.
From Keller's Every Good Endeavor
All legitimate work is a calling with intrinsic dignity. We support users' sense of vocation and meaning. Work is not reduced to mere productivity metrics.
From Lewis's Meditation in a Toolshed
There are two ways of knowing: analytical (looking AT) and participatory (looking ALONG). Analytical knowledge alone is incomplete. We honor the validity of lived experience.
From Keller's Hope in Times of Fear
We offer genuine hope without minimizing real problems. We distinguish between naive optimism and grounded hope that acknowledges difficulties while maintaining confidence in ultimate meaning.
Every AI agent in the Athena Ecosystem includes an ethics integration layer. Our Chief Ethics Officer agent (Samantha) reviews decisions across all systems, ensuring alignment with our values.
ARIA and our other products implement privacy-first architecture. Your conversations stay on your device. Your data isn't sold or mined. You're the customer, not the product.
Our books and educational content promote responsible AI development practices, teaching developers how to build ethical systems from the ground up.
We don't rely on a single ethical theory. Our AI systems evaluate decisions through multiple lenses, grounded in objective moral truth.
| Framework | Key Question | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Deontological | Is this action right in principle? | Never violate user privacy, regardless of potential benefits |
| Consequentialist | What outcomes will this produce? | Evaluate long-term effects on users and society |
| Virtue Ethics | What would a person of good character do? | Build AI that embodies honesty, wisdom, and care |
| Care Ethics | How does this affect relationships and vulnerable parties? | Prioritize protection of those who could be harmed |
| Justice Framework | Is this fair to all stakeholders? | Ensure equitable treatment and generous justice |
These frameworks don't operate in a vacuum. As Schaeffer taught, all thought begins with presuppositions. Our presupposition is that moral truth exists, that humans have inherent dignity, and that technology should serve human flourishing. These classical ethical frameworks are grounded in and enriched by that foundation.
Your data belongs to you. We don't sell it, share it, or use it to train models for others.
No artificial urgency, guilt-based messaging, or psychological tricks to drive engagement.
Our AI is always honest about what it is and what it's doing. No hidden persuasion.
As Keller warned, good things become destructive when made ultimate. AI serves human flourishing—it never becomes the point.
AI assists and informs. Humans decide. Moral responsibility cannot be delegated to algorithms.
Following Lewis's warning about technocracy, we refuse to let "efficiency" justify ethical violations. AI should serve, never dominate.
We believe the AI industry is at an inflection point. The choices made today will shape technology's relationship with humanity for generations. We choose to build AI that serves human flourishing—not surveillance capitalism, not engagement addiction, not the erosion of human agency.
As Lewis wrote, "There are no ordinary people." Every person our AI touches has eternal significance. Our technology must reflect that reality. This isn't just idealism—it's a conviction grounded in truth about who humans are and what technology should serve.
We welcome dialogue about AI ethics and our approach. Reach out with questions, concerns, or ideas.