THE Vatican has called for a sober perspective on the advance of artificial intelligence (AI), and for efforts to ensure that it always serves humanity as “a creation of human hands”.
“AI’s impact is felt globally in a wide range of areas, including interpersonal relationships, education, work, art, healthcare, law, warfare and international relations. . . As it advances rapidly toward even greater achievements, it is critically important to consider its anthropological and ethical implications,” the Vatican says.
“As its applications and their social impacts become clearer, individual users, families, civil society, corporations, institutions, governments and international organisations should work to ensure that AI is used for the good of all.”
The appeal is contained in Antiqua et Nova, a heavily footnoted 30-page study approved by Pope Francis and released at the end of January.
It says that “human abilities and creativity” come from God and reflect divine wisdom and goodness “when used rightly”, whereas AI stands out for its capacity to “make certain choices autonomously”, with a “level of speed and skill that often rivals or surpasses what humans can do”.
Since the term was coined in the 1950s, the document says, AI has swiftly developed, mimicking human cognitive processes, and could one day create a “superintelligence surpassing human intellectual capacities”.
Yet such “intelligence” is only functional, and has little to do with complementary forms of reason and intellect identified by St Thomas Aquinas, which find “fullest expression in dialogue, collaboration and solidarity”.
“AI’s advanced features give it sophisticated abilities to perform tasks, but not the ability to think — this distinction is crucially important,” says the study, co-signed by the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, and the Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, .
“To appreciate this, one must recall the richness of philosophical tradition and Christian theology, which offer a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of intelligence — an understanding central to the Church’s teaching on the nature, dignity and vocation of the human person.”
The 20,000-word document is the latest of many expressions of concern about AI by the Vatican, which imposed rules on its use from 1 January.
Pope Francis called for urgent “political action” to regulate AI in an address to G7 leaders last June (News, 21 June 2024), also warning diplomats in a speech on 9 January that its growth raised “broader concerns” about intellectual property rights, job security, respect for privacy, and environmental protection (News, 17 January).
Whereas advanced AI systems are limited to “computational reasoning and learning based on vast datasets”, Antiqua et Nova says, human intelligence “develops organically throughout the person’s physical and psychological growth”.
It continues: “Since AI lacks the richness of corporeality, relationality and the openness of the human heart to truth and goodness, its capacities — though seemingly limitless — are incomparable with the human ability to grasp reality.
“Like any product of human creativity, AI can be directed toward positive or negative ends. When used in ways that respect human dignity and promote the well-being of individuals and communities, it can contribute positively to the human vocation. Yet, as in all areas where humans are called to make decisions, the shadow of evil also looms here.”
The Vatican document says that concern about the ethical implications of AI is shared by scientists and others beyond church circles, particularly given its power to “shape the world and engage consciences” and to “reinforce relationships and power dynamics that are inconsistent with a proper understanding of the human person and society”.
Regulatory frameworks are, therefore, needed to monitor the objectives of AI system-designers, and to define their responsibility and accountability, it says.
AI can be “manipulated for personal or corporate gain”, as well as to “perpetuate marginalisation and discrimination” and disrupt human relationships and emotional bonds. It can be used for deceptive and harmful purposes, through false information and deepfakes generated by algorithms, while its dominance in the economy may benefit large corporations at the cost of smaller businesses, de-skilling workers, eroding their “sense of agency”, and subjecting them to “automated surveillance”.
In education, an increased reliance on AI could erode the “critical thinking and problem-solving skills” of students, while AI could replace the patient-doctor relationship in health care, leaving decisions on treatment to “metrics of efficiency”.
The current use of AI for developing “lethal autonomous weapons systems” may also place war “well beyond the scope” of human intervention and oversight, the study warns.
“Like any tool, AI is an extension of human power, and while its future capabilities are unpredictable, humanity’s past actions provide clear warnings — the atrocities committed throughout history are enough to raise deep concerns about the potential abuses of AI,” the study concludes.
“It is vital to remember that AI is but a pale reflection of humanity — though crafted by human minds, trained on human-generated material, responsive to human input, and sustained through human labour, AI cannot possess many of the capabilities specific to human life, and it is also fallible.
“By turning to AI as a perceived ‘Other’ greater than itself, with which to share existence and responsibilities, humanity risks creating a substitute for God.”