Pope Francis, in a momentous address commemorating the World Day of Peace of the Roman Catholic Church, advocated for the establishment of a legally binding global accord to oversee artificial intelligence (AI). He underscored the critical nature of averting the replacement of human values by algorithms in the realm of AI. On January 1st, the Pope is scheduled to deliver a message to world leaders and institutions including the United Nations entitled “Artificial Intelligence and Peace,” in observance of the occasion.
Concerning the potential emergence of a “technological dictatorship” that endangers human existence, Pope Francis emphasized the global reach of artificial intelligence and the function of international organizations in establishing multilateral agreements. He urged sovereign states to assume the responsibility of internally regulating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and promoted international cooperation in the pursuit of establishing a legally binding treaty that oversees the advancement and implementation of AI in its diverse categories.
The Pope’s appeal is consistent with an ongoing worldwide dilemma for governments, which is to find a middle ground between utilizing the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI), including its capacity for coding and human-like conversations, and ensuring the implementation of essential safeguards.
The European Union reached a provisional agreement last week on landmark regulations governing the use of artificial intelligence, including supervision of AI systems such as ChatGPT and regulations for biometric surveillance by governments.
Francis further underscored the significance of ethical examination concerning the motivations and concerns of AI proprietors and developers, cautioning against the implementation of systems that could endanger life and the environment. The Pope issued a dire warning regarding the potential rise of a “technological dictatorship” and expressed ethical apprehensions regarding the weaponization of artificial intelligence, specifically regarding the creation of lethal autonomous weapon systems.
Pope Francis, while acknowledging the beneficial contributions of technological advancements, emphasized that the advancement and implementation of artificial intelligence must not undermine the distinct human ability to make moral and ethical judgments. To safeguard against the delegation of moral responsibility and ethical considerations to machines, he advocated for substantial human oversight of weapon systems.
During a news conference, Cardinal Michael Czerny, the head of the Vatican’s human development office, provided clarification that while Pope Francis acknowledges technological and scientific advancements, he is especially apprehensive about artificial intelligence (AI) on account of its potential ramifications. He described AI as “possibly the most significant risk of our future.”
