The pontiff warns that artificial intelligence and digital technologies can undermine human relationships and distort reality unless they are guided by responsibility and rooted in education.<\/p>\n
In his first message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications, Pope Leo XIV warns that artificial intelligence and digital technologies can undermine human relationships and distort reality unless they are guided by responsibility and rooted in education.<\/p>\n
The pope\u2019s message, titled \u201cPreserving Human Voices and Faces,\u201d emphasizes the uniqueness of every person and the need to protect what he calls the \u201csacred\u201d signs of human identity in an era increasingly shaped by AI-generated content.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur faces and voices are unique, distinctive features of every person,\u201d Pope Leo XIV writes. \u201cFaces and voices are sacred.\u201d He states that safeguarding them ultimately means \u201csafeguarding ourselves,\u201d since the challenge posed by AI is \u201cnot technological, but anthropological.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pope cautions against surrendering human judgment to algorithms and automated systems, particularly those built to maximize engagement on social media. \u201cAlthough AI can provide support and assistance in managing tasks related to communication, in the long run, choosing to evade the effort of thinking for ourselves and settling for artificial statistical compilations threatens to diminish our cognitive, emotional, and communication skills,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n
The pope also highlights new risks in online interaction, noting how difficult it can be to tell whether one is engaging with a real person. \u201cAs we scroll through our feeds, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine whether we are interacting with other human beings or with \u2018bots\u2019 or \u2018virtual influencers,\u2019\u201d he writes, warning that chatbots can be used for \u201ccovert persuasion\u201d and may \u201cbecome hidden architects of our emotional states.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pointing to the growing capacity of AI to fabricate content \u2014 including \u201cparallel \u2018realities\u2019\u201d \u2014 the pope underscores the dangers of misinformation and calls for renewed commitment to verification and field reporting. He warns that \u201cfailure to verify sources\u201d can \u201cfuel disinformation,\u201d deepening \u201cmistrust, confusion, and insecurity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rather than calling for a halt to innovation, the pope urges discernment and governance, proposing what he describes as \u201ca possible alliance\u201d with digital technology \u2014 but only on clear foundations. \u201cThis alliance is possible but needs to be based on three pillars: responsibility, cooperation, and education,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n
On responsibility, the pope addresses tech platforms, developers, lawmakers, and the media, urging them to prioritize the common good over profit and to ensure transparency and protections for human dignity. He also calls for clear labeling of AI-generated content: \u201cContent generated or manipulated by AI are to be clearly marked and distinguished from content created by humans,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n
The pope stresses the need to protect the work of journalists and creators: \u201cThe authorship and sovereign ownership of the work of journalists and other content creators must be protected. Information is a public good,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n
Education, he adds, is essential for building critical thinking and digital citizenship, and it should reach every generation. \u201cAs Catholics, we can and must contribute to this effort, so that individuals \u2014 especially young people \u2014 can acquire critical thinking skills and grow in freedom of spirit,\u201d Pope Leo XIV writes, adding that such literacy should also reach \u201colder adults and marginalized members of society.\u201d<\/p>\n
The message is dated Jan. 24, the memorial of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of writers and journalists.<\/p>\n
Acest articol a fost publicat ini\u021bial de ACI Stampa, serviciul de limb\u0103 italian\u0103 al EWTN News. Ea a fost tradus\u0103 \u0219i adaptat\u0103 de EWTN News English.<\/p>\n