Pope Francis issued a challenge to leaders of the world’s wealthy democracies on Friday to prioritize human dignity in the development and use of artificial intelligence. He cautioned that this powerful technology has the potential to reduce human relationships to mere algorithms.
Invited by Italy to speak at a special session of the Group of Seven summit, Francis became the first pope to attend a G7 meeting. He provided an ethical perspective on AI, which is increasingly becoming a focal point of international discussions, government policies, and corporate strategies.
Emphasizing the need for AI to remain centered on human values, Francis urged politicians to ensure that decisions regarding the use of weapons and other tools are always made by humans, not machines.
He warned against depriving people of the ability to make choices about their own lives by relying solely on AI-generated decisions, stressing the importance of maintaining human control over AI programs to uphold human dignity.
Francis joined other countries and global organizations in advocating for stricter regulations on AI following the advancements in generative AI technology, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot.
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Speaking in his annual peace message, the pope called for an international treaty to ensure ethical development and use of AI, emphasizing that technology devoid of human values poses significant risks.
While he didn’t explicitly reiterate his call for an international treaty during his speech at the G7, Francis stressed that politicians must take the lead in addressing the ethical implications of AI. He also called for a ban on lethal autonomous weapons, commonly referred to as “killer robots.”
Francis highlighted the role of politics in creating conditions for responsible AI use and emphasized the importance of human ethics in addressing the potential threats and challenges posed by AI.
Italy’s Prime Minister invited Francis to the G7 summit, recognizing the influence of his moral authority on global discussions. The presence of the pope drew a reverent silence from the attendees, underscoring the significance of his participation.
While there may not be the same level of public pressure seen at past summits, Francis leveraged his moral authority to emphasize the need for ethical safeguards in AI and the potential risks to society if human values are disregarded.
Addressing the leaders, Francis concluded by emphasizing the importance of upholding ethics in technological development, stating that discussions about technology are inherently discussions about human nature and the ethical responsibilities that come with it.
As the debate on AI oversight continues, Francis will meet with various world leaders as part of the G7 summit to further discussions on the ethical and responsible use of AI.
