Churches are no longer dealing only with employees opening ChatGPT to draft an email or brainstorm ideas. AI is increasingly embedded in software churches already use, while newer agentic AI tools can connect to systems, access information, automate workflows, and take actions with limited human intervention.
At the same time, churches must consider how AI may affect sensitive and confidential information, employment decisions, cybersecurity, copyright, meeting transcription, records retention, and even fraud attempts involving AI-generated voices, images, or video.
That’s why Church Law & Tax and Gloo have released Version 2.0 of the Artificial Intelligence Use in the Church Workplace Policy Template.
Church Law & Tax Advantage Members: Access Version 2.0 now.
Not a member? Complete this brief form to get free access.
What’s new in the 2.0 AI policy template?
The first template provided churches with a framework for approving AI tools, establishing acceptable and unacceptable uses, protecting confidential information, maintaining human oversight, training personnel, and regularly reviewing AI practices.
Version 2.0 goes even further. Among other updates, it:
- Expands the policy to cover embedded AI features and agentic AI, not just standalone generative AI tools.
- Establishes a more robust AI tool and provider risk-review process, including data retention, subprocessors, integrations, access controls, security safeguards, and incident notification.
- Introduces “Protected Data Terms” for AI tools that may handle sensitive or confidential church information.
- Adds safeguards for AI recording, transcription, summarization, and note-taking involving pastoral care, counseling, personnel matters, children and youth, legal matters, and other sensitive communications.
- Broadens protections involving AI-assisted hiring, compensation, promotion, performance evaluation, discipline, termination, and other employment decisions.
- Addresses AI-generated impersonation, deepfakes, and fraud, including independent verification of unusual requests involving payments, credentials, data transfers, or account changes.
- Requires additional safeguards when AI agents and automated workflows can access church systems or take consequential actions.
- Strengthens procedures for AI-related security incidents, records retention, training, and ongoing policy review.
Does your church need an AI policy—or an update?
You don’t need to know the answer before getting started.
Take Church Law & Tax’s free 2-Minute check-up to evaluate how your church is using AI, where potential gaps may exist, and whether your existing AI policy needs attention.
- Already have an AI policy? Use the check-up to see whether it still addresses today’s AI tools and risks.
- Don’t have an AI policy? The check-up can help identify ways AI may already be used in your church workplace—even if your church has never formally adopted an AI tool.
AI will continue to change. The goal isn’t to predict every new tool. It’s to give church leaders a practical framework for responsible AI use, human oversight, sensitive-data protection, and ongoing review as the technology—and the legal landscape surrounding it—continues to evolve.