Pope Francis emphasized the moral implications of artificial intelligence, reflecting on historical lessons from Leo XIII's encyclical Rerum Novarum that addressed the labor issues of the Industrial Revolution. He highlighted AI's ability to either support or undermine human dignity depending on its application. As mechanization once disrupted traditional labor, AI poses a similar moral challenge, underlining the need for ethical guidelines in its development to ensure it serves humanity positively rather than exacerbating existing inequalities.
"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."
"History repeats with new technology... in the 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, the earlier Leo XIII directly confronted the labor upheaval of the Industrial Revolution, which generated unprecedented wealth and productive capacity but came with severe human costs."
Collection
[
|
...
]