An international conference on artificial intelligence and interfaith dialogue opens Monday at Université de Montréal under the organisation of TRENDS Research & Advisory in partnership with the Pluriel research group and the Université du Québec à Montréal. The three-day event running through October 21 will feature scientific presentations followed by specialised workshops examining how generative AI is reshaping religious discourse and mediation practices, the Emirates News Agency reported. Organisers have framed the gathering as an opportunity to assess both the supportive role of AI in dialogue and its potential as an interactive participant while maintaining human centrality and religious plurality.
The Pluriel research platform stated that approximately 30 academics from 24 institutions across 11 countries will participate, drawing theologians, legal experts, social scientists and AI specialists from Europe, the Middle East, the Gulf and North America. Four core themes will structure the discussions, including the reconfiguration of religious knowledge through digital tools, the redefinition of interreligious dialogue concepts in the AI era, the transformation of digital polarisation into constructive exchange, and the ethical governance of AI in faith-based settings. The conference opens with presentations on October 19 and the morning of October 20 before transitioning to practical workshops on the remaining day and a half.
TRENDS Research & Advisory established the Artificial Intelligence for Interfaith Dialogue Alliance in February to advance ethical AI systems capable of fostering tolerance across religious traditions, Gulf News reported at the time of the launch. The alliance, which pairs the Abu Dhabi-based think tank with institutions including the Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms and several theological faculties, seeks to counter stereotypes amplified on social media platforms. Its three-year roadmap begins with mapping global experiences before proceeding to the development of secure dialogue platforms and their testing in academic and religious environments.
Workshops at the Montreal event will focus on refining the Dialogia platform, a tool designed to leverage large language models for structured interfaith interaction without overriding human ethical responsibility, according to the Pluriel schedule. Participants will engage in experimentation and validation exercises to evaluate the platform’s effectiveness in supporting mediated exchanges. This component directly advances the AI4ID Alliance objectives by producing interdisciplinary research outputs and ethical usage guidelines.
The conference programme published by Pluriel lists opening reflections from Gilles Bibeau of Université de Montréal addressing consciousness, autonomy and moral agency in the context of natural and artificial intelligence. Eissa Ali AlMannaei from TRENDS Research & Advisory is scheduled to present on the reliability and limitations of AI when functioning as a mediator in religious dialogue. Additional contributions will come from specialists examining philosophical values, governance principles and the specific mechanics of the Dialogia system.
The event will conclude with the formal launch of a dedicated working group on AI-assisted interreligious dialogue housed within the Pluriel network, Pluriel announcements indicated. This permanent scholarly collective incorporates TRENDS Research & Advisory alongside Saint Joseph University in Beirut, the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies in Cairo and multiple European and North American faculties of theology. Through ongoing seminars, publications and collaborative projects the group aims to sustain comparative interdisciplinary analysis of digital technologies in peace-building and mutual understanding initiatives.
