CAIRO — Indonesia’s religious affairs minister on Monday warned that rapid advances in artificial intelligence risk undermining human values unless guided by strong ethical principles, urging religious institutions to remain a moral compass in the digital age.

Nasaruddin Umar delivered the remarks at an international conference organized by Egypt’s Ministry of Awqaf in Cairo, attended by senior religious leaders, scholars and researchers from multiple countries.

Speaking on ecotheology, Nasaruddin said Islam places responsibility on humanity not only to meet material needs but also to uphold moral obligations, social trust and stewardship of the earth. He described the environment as a divine trust, warning that development must not come at the expense of ecological balance.

“Ecotheology is an ethical framework that understands the relationship between humans and nature as a responsibility,” he said. Activities that damage environmental harmony, he added, run counter to the purpose of worship and the essence of civilization.

Nasaruddin opened his address by conveying greetings from Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and thanking Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for supporting the conference. The forum was hosted by Egypt’s minister of awqaf and chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Usamah Al-Sayyid Al-Azhari.

Turning to artificial intelligence, Nasaruddin said the main challenge posed by AI was not technological capability but the preservation of human dignity and ethical judgment. “The world does not only need intelligent professions, but ethical ones,” he said.

He cited Indonesia’s experience as the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, where religious education is increasingly linked to professionalism and work ethics, including in responding to AI development. Scholarly discussions in Indonesia, he said, consistently conclude that AI, regardless of its sophistication, cannot replace moral conscience, human reasoning or ethical deliberation.

AI should remain a tool rather than an authority, Nasaruddin said, stressing that religious guidance and ethical responsibility must stay in human hands.

“The real challenge is not the use of AI,” he said, “but how it is regulated and controlled so that humans continue to lead with values and responsibility.”

He concluded by saying the modern world faces a shortage not of expertise, but of values to guide it—underscoring, he said, the continued relevance of religion in shaping civilization amid rapid technological change.