In an unexpected move, Pope Leo XIV has made artificial intelligence a primary focus of his papacy, viewing it as a challenge to human dignity akin to the industrial revolution. In his inaugural remarks, he stressed the need for "responsibility and discernment" when harnessing AI's potential. Drawing parallels with his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, he highlighted the church's role in addressing societal changes and protecting workers' dignity. Ethicists recognize AI technology as a major issue of contemporary relevance, with the church poised to lead in navigating its moral implications.
'We will require responsibility and discernment to deploy AI's immense potential to benefit rather than degrade humankind,' he said Monday in his first news conference as pope.
Now, it's AI that threatens the dignity of workers and the human soul, Pope Leo XIV has warned. But he seems to see his church as particularly equipped to meet the moment.
This emphasis should come as no surprise, said ethicist and Trinity College Dublin Ecumenics professor Linda Hogan, 'As anybody looking at the current situation we're in would ask: Well, what are the pressing issues?'
The previous Pope Leo - Leo XIII in the late 19th century - helped the church navigate the aftermath of the industrial revolution - in which the new pope said he sees a clear analogue.
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