Pope Francis Warns Against Possible Dangers of AI:
Pope Francis has called for a global reflection on Artificial intelligence ethics, noting that the technologies are “endowed with disruptive possibilities and ambivalent effects.”
Concerned about the “remarkable advances made in the field of artificial intelligence” and how they “are having a rapidly increasing impact on human activity, personal and social life, politics, and the economy,” the Holy Father announced that the message for the coming 57th World Day of Peace would focus on Artificial Intelligence. This was disclosed in a statement released by the Vatican on Tuesday.
The 86-year-old Pontiff emphasized the “need to be vigilant and to work so that a logic of violence and discrimination does not take root in the production and use of such devices, at the expense of the most fragile and excluded.”
“The urgent need to orient the concept and use of artificial intelligence in a responsible way, so that it may be at the service of humanity and the protection of our common home, requires that ethical reflection be extended to the sphere of education and law,” it adds.
World Day of Peace is an annual catholic day of observance dedicated to promoting global peace. It was initiated by Pope Paul VI in 1967 and observed on January 1.
It is customary for popes to deliver messages centered on the themes of peace and reconciliation on this significant day. However, the theme of Pope Francis’ message coming year will be “Artificial Intelligence and Peace.”
The statement also addressed the “urgent need to orient the concept and use of artificial intelligence in a responsible way.”
“The protection of the dignity of the person, and concern for a fraternity effectively open to the entire human family, are indispensable conditions for technological development to help contribute to the promotion of justice and peace in the world,” the statement read.