BORGO EGNAZIA, Italy. Pope Francis emphasized the necessity for humans to retain control over Artificial Intelligence (AI) to ensure the preservation of human life and dignity, in a historic address to the Group of Seven (G7) summit. As the first pope to address a G7 summit, the 87-year-old pontiff, constrained by mobility issues and using a wheelchair, received a warm welcome from global leaders.
Pope Francis described AI as an “epochal transformation” for humanity but cautioned that without stringent oversight, it could undermine human agency. “No machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being,” he stated, stressing the importance of not allowing powerful algorithms to dictate human destiny. “We would condemn humanity to a future without hope if we took away people’s ability to make decisions about themselves and their lives, by dooming them to depend on the choices of machines,” he warned.
The G7, comprising leaders from the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan, was joined by representatives from ten other nations, including India’s Prime Minister and the Presidents of Turkey and Kenya, upon the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Upon entering the conference room, Pope Francis was greeted with warmth and respect, receiving embraces from notable figures such as Argentine President Javier Milei, Jordan’s King Abdullah, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and a lengthy conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden.
Addressing the dual nature of AI, Pope Francis acknowledged its potential to inspire excitement and expand global knowledge. However, he also highlighted the risk of exacerbating injustices between advanced and developing nations and between social classes. “It is up to everyone to make good use of [AI], but the onus is on politics to create the conditions for such good use to be possible and fruitful,” he asserted.
Earlier this year, Italy passed legislation to establish ground rules for AI usage and set penalties for AI-related crimes. Prime Minister Meloni has frequently warned about the risks AI poses to the job market. In a draft of their closing statement, the G7 leaders committed to developing a strategy to address future skills and education needs in light of the AI revolution.
Pope Francis also spoke about AI’s capacity to handle labor-intensive tasks and accelerate scientific research but cautioned against the dissemination of false information. “It does not develop new analyses or concepts, but repeats those that it finds,” he said, noting the danger of AI legitimizing fake news and reinforcing dominant cultures.
As the G7 summit concluded, Pope Francis’s message underscored the vital need for ethical considerations and human oversight in the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
