The Pope on Artificial Intelligence

Pope Francis with all the world leaders at the G7 in Italy.

Pope Francis on June 14 issued a stark warning to world leaders that artificial intelligence has led to a "cognitive-industrial revolution" that could undermine human dignity, in an historic speech where he became the first pontiff to ever address the annual "G7" summit, held in the Puglia region in Southern Italy. He said: ‘Artificial intelligence (or "AI"), is both an exciting and fearsome tool where the benefits or harm it will bring will depend on its use. We need to ensure and safeguard a space for proper human control over the choices made by artificial intelligence programs. Human dignity itself depends on it, we are enthusiastic when we imagine the advances that can result from artificial intelligence, but at the same time, we are fearful when we acknowledge the dangers inherent in its use. Human freedom requires tremendous responsibility when navigating how to develop and use such technologies. When our ancestors sharpened flint stones to make knives, they used them both to cut hides for clothing and to kill each other. The same could be said of other more advanced technologies, such as the energy produced by the fusion of atoms, as occurs within the sun, which could be used to produce clean, renewable energy or to reduce our planet to a pile of ashes.’

Pope Francis and Italian PM Meloni arriving at the G7 summit.

The pope dedicated his 2024 World Day of Peace message to the theme of AI, where he called for a binding international treaty to regulate its development and warned that it could lead to a "technological dictatorship" if not properly regulated. The Pope cited a number of specific examples where he said AI programs revealed their limitations: judges using computer programs to determine prison sentences, chat bots that mimic human interactions and students who use such technologies to prepare papers. In each scenario, the Pope noted that AI offered some utility, but ultimately offered diminished or flawed outcomes. He finished his speech by saying: ’Indeed, we seem to be losing the value and profound meaning of one of the fundamental concepts of the West: that of the human person. It is up to everyone to make good use of Artificial Intelligence, but the onus is on politics to create the conditions for such good use to be possible and fruitful.’