Why Muslims Must Lead in AI | Ibtihal Aboussad | MCB AI Conference 2025

In this timely and thought-provoking keynote, Muslim leaders, scholars, and community members are urged to confront one of the most pressing challenges of our age: the rise of artificial intelligence and its impact on our faith, our communities, and our future.

The talk begins by acknowledging the rapid technological changes shaping every aspect of modern life - from education, law, and healthcare to activism, identity, and even how we practice our religion. AI is no longer a distant concept confined to laboratories; it is a force already influencing truth, justice, and human dignity.

Through vivid examples, the speaker highlights how Muslims have historically been the first to experience the harmful side of technological misuse:

• Social media shaped Muslim youth identities while sidelining authentic Islamic voices.
• Surveillance systems like Prevent in the UK and predictive policing in North America disproportionately targeted Muslims.
• Warfare technologies now use AI to generate bombing target lists, with Palestinians serving as unwilling test subjects of AI-driven oppression.

But the message is not one of despair. Instead, it is a call to duty - reminding us that as Muslims, we are entrusted with truth and justice. Avoidance is no longer an option. If we remain on the sidelines, these tools will be shaped without our voices, values, or resistance.

The keynote outlines a path forward:

• For Imams and scholars: learn the basics of AI, frame it as a communal obligation, and issue guidance rooted in Islamic ethics.
• For tech professionals: build ethical alternatives, treat coding as a form of jihad for justice, and challenge corporate practices from within.
• For activists and community leaders: connect AI to social justice struggles, from policing to education to Palestine.
• For parents and families: support children who pursue tech careers as a means of serving Allah and uplifting the ummah.
• For everyone: become informed, demand transparency, and refuse to let AI become a neutral tool in the hands of oppressors.

The speech draws strength from Islamic history, reminding us that Muslims did not retreat in times of crisis - whether after the Mongol invasion, the Crusades, or colonialism. Instead, they adapted, rebuilt, and emerged stronger. Today, as AI accelerates oppression, we too must choose engagement over avoidance, mastery over fear, and purpose over passivity.

Ultimately, this address is a rallying call for Muslims to lead in the age of AI with knowledge, ethics, and moral clarity - shaping a future where technology serves humanity, protects the vulnerable, and honors the trust Allah has placed upon us.