Pope Eager to Tackle AI Issues
The laid-back Pope Leo XIV, hailing from Chicago, odds are you know him for more modern matters than the Catholic Church's past. But this fresh-faced Pope isn't here to reminisce on the Church's outdated ways; instead, he's got his sights set on the future, particularly artificial intelligence (AI). As stated by the ever-reliable CNN, he voiced his concerns about AI as one of the biggest challenges humanity currently faces [1].
In his initial powwow with top cardinals, he pointed to AI as a prime issue on humanity's plate. He even dropped some knowledge, insisting that the Catholic Church should ensure it tackles these modern challenges, not just those of yesteryear [1].
Referencing the "industrial revolution" and AI's new challenges to upholding human dignity, justice, and labor, Leo XIV sprung into action during his chat with the senior clergy [1]. He even declared his name choice of Leo as a bold statement, promising to walk in the footsteps of Pope Leo XIII, who took on the social question during the first industrial revolution [2].
The illustrious Pope Leo XIII, who ruled the roost from 1878–1903, is best known for his seminal 1891 encyclical, "Rerum Novarum," which championed the rights of workers and called for the relief of poverty and unemployment [2]. Leo XIV intends to follow in his predecessor's footsteps, with a keen focus on AI.
Leo XIV isn't starting from scratch, though; he's picking up where his predecessor, Pope Francis, left off. Francis, much like Leo XIV, highlighted AI's potential risks to humanity if not developed ethically and in a human-centric manner [3]. He even penned "Antiqua et Nova," a call-to-action on the relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence, urging that any developments in AI must "serve human dignity and not harm it" [3].
Pope Francis tackled AI in a significant way, not just in words: he positively shared his thoughts on AI at the 2024 G7 Summit, where he described AI as the start of a "cognitive-industrial revolution." However, he warned that it posed the risk of exacerbating "greater injustice between advanced and developing nations or between dominant and oppressed social classes" [3].
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Francis spoke out again, raising a red flag against technological advancement. He cautioned that human dignity and brotherhood can often be sacrificed in the name of efficiency during tech development and urged the key players to ensure AI "promotes human dignity, the vocation of the human person, and the common good" [3].
Overall, both popes view AI as an ethical minefield that requires careful navigation. Pope Leo XIV intends to build upon Pope Leo XIII's social teachings and Pope Francis' recent focus, ultimately developing a comprehensive ethical framework for AI that skillfully addresses its challenges and ensures it benefits humanity humanely and inclusively [1].
- The Pope Leo XIV, a tech-savvy leader from Chicago, is advancing the discussion on the future of artificial intelligence (AI), which he considers as one of the significant challenges humanity faces, following proclamations by CNN [1].
- In the arena of education and self-development, Pope Leo XIV aspires to learn from the teachings of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who also emphasized the need for ethical development and human-centric perspectives in AI [3].
- Leveraging the expertise of various tech platforms like Gizmodo and other tech resources, the Catholic Church under Pope Leo XIV aims to foster personal growth and promote a meaningful dialogue about the role of AI in shaping the future [4].
- To ensure the inclusion and welfare of all, a comprehensive ethical framework for AI, inspired by the social teachings of Pope Leo XIII and the recent focus of Pope Francis, is being established by Leo XIV, seeking a harmonious balance between technology, AI, and human dignity [1].
