NEW DELHI: Pope Francis addressed leaders of wealthy democracies on Friday, urging them to prioritise human dignity when developing and utilising artificial intelligence (AI). He expressed concern that AI‘s power could reduce human relationships to mere algorithms.
Speaking at a special session at the G7 summit in Italy, Francis underscored the moral implications of AI.It was the first time a pope attended the G7, bringing an ethical perspective to an increasingly important global issue.
Francis emphasised that politicians must ensure AI remains centered on human values. Decisions, especially about the use of weapons, should always be made by humans, not machines.
“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 said.
The pope stressed the need for human oversight over AI decisions, asserting that human dignity is at stake. He joined global calls for stronger AI regulations, amplified by the reaction to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Earlier this year, Francis called for an international treaty on ethical AI development in his annual peace message. He warned that AI without human values like compassion and mercy could be dangerous.
While he didn’t reiterate the call for a treaty in this speech, he highlighted politicians’ role in leading on AI issues. He also advocated for banning lethal autonomous weapons, often referred to as “killer robots.”
“No machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being,” he said.
Addressing the G7 leaders, he stated, “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.”
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni had invited Francis, recognizing the impact of his moral authority at the summit. The atmosphere shifted noticeably when Francis arrived, reflecting the weight of his presence.
“The pope is, well, a very special kind of a celebrity,” said John Kirton, director of the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto.
Kirton recalled a similarly impactful summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, in 2005. At that meeting, world leaders agreed to cancel $40 billion in debt owed by 18 of the world’s poorest countries to the World Bank and the IMF.
The Gleneagles summit had been bolstered by a Live 8 concert in London, featuring major artists and drawing over a million people to support the cause. Such widespread popular pressure helped make the summit a success.
This time, no such large-scale public pressure is at play at the G7 in Puglia, Italy. However, Francis used his moral authority to urge for AI safeguards, emphasizing the ethical risks involved.
“To speak of technology is to speak of what it means to be human and thus of our singular status as beings who possess both freedom and responsibility,” he said.
Generative AI technology has amazed many with its human-like responses, but it has also sparked concerns about safety. Various global efforts are underway to regulate it.
People worry about AI’s potential to create bioweapons, spread misinformation, and cause job eliminations through algorithmic bias.
In his peace message, Francis highlighted the need to ensure AI respects human rights, promotes peace, and avoids disinformation and discrimination.
G7 members are already engaged in AI regulation discussions. Japan initiated the “Hiroshima AI process” to establish international guidelines and a code of conduct for AI developers.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also recently proposed a framework for global AI regulation, focusing on generative AI systems.
The European Union’s forthcoming AI Act aims to regulate AI products and services, setting restrictions based on their risk levels.
In the U.S., President Joe Biden issued an executive order on AI safeguards and called for further legislation. States like California and Colorado are also attempting to pass their own AI regulations.
Antitrust regulators in both the U.S. and Europe are investigating major AI companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and OpenAI for potential anti-competitive practices.
The UK sparked a global conversation on AI’s extreme risks with a summit last fall. Companies at a follow-up meeting in Seoul pledged to develop AI safely, with more discussions set to continue in France next year.
The United Nations has addressed AI with its first resolution on the subject.
Alongside his AI speech, Francis had a packed schedule of bilateral meetings. He met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and leaders from countries including Algeria, Brazil, India, Kenya, and Turkey.
The pope also planned meetings with G7 leaders, including President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Speaking at a special session at the G7 summit in Italy, Francis underscored the moral implications of AI.It was the first time a pope attended the G7, bringing an ethical perspective to an increasingly important global issue.
Francis emphasised that politicians must ensure AI remains centered on human values. Decisions, especially about the use of weapons, should always be made by humans, not machines.
“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 said.
The pope stressed the need for human oversight over AI decisions, asserting that human dignity is at stake. He joined global calls for stronger AI regulations, amplified by the reaction to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Earlier this year, Francis called for an international treaty on ethical AI development in his annual peace message. He warned that AI without human values like compassion and mercy could be dangerous.
While he didn’t reiterate the call for a treaty in this speech, he highlighted politicians’ role in leading on AI issues. He also advocated for banning lethal autonomous weapons, often referred to as “killer robots.”
“No machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being,” he said.
Addressing the G7 leaders, he stated, “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.”
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni had invited Francis, recognizing the impact of his moral authority at the summit. The atmosphere shifted noticeably when Francis arrived, reflecting the weight of his presence.
“The pope is, well, a very special kind of a celebrity,” said John Kirton, director of the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto.
Kirton recalled a similarly impactful summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, in 2005. At that meeting, world leaders agreed to cancel $40 billion in debt owed by 18 of the world’s poorest countries to the World Bank and the IMF.
The Gleneagles summit had been bolstered by a Live 8 concert in London, featuring major artists and drawing over a million people to support the cause. Such widespread popular pressure helped make the summit a success.
This time, no such large-scale public pressure is at play at the G7 in Puglia, Italy. However, Francis used his moral authority to urge for AI safeguards, emphasizing the ethical risks involved.
“To speak of technology is to speak of what it means to be human and thus of our singular status as beings who possess both freedom and responsibility,” he said.
Generative AI technology has amazed many with its human-like responses, but it has also sparked concerns about safety. Various global efforts are underway to regulate it.
People worry about AI’s potential to create bioweapons, spread misinformation, and cause job eliminations through algorithmic bias.
In his peace message, Francis highlighted the need to ensure AI respects human rights, promotes peace, and avoids disinformation and discrimination.
G7 members are already engaged in AI regulation discussions. Japan initiated the “Hiroshima AI process” to establish international guidelines and a code of conduct for AI developers.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also recently proposed a framework for global AI regulation, focusing on generative AI systems.
The European Union’s forthcoming AI Act aims to regulate AI products and services, setting restrictions based on their risk levels.
In the U.S., President Joe Biden issued an executive order on AI safeguards and called for further legislation. States like California and Colorado are also attempting to pass their own AI regulations.
Antitrust regulators in both the U.S. and Europe are investigating major AI companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and OpenAI for potential anti-competitive practices.
The UK sparked a global conversation on AI’s extreme risks with a summit last fall. Companies at a follow-up meeting in Seoul pledged to develop AI safely, with more discussions set to continue in France next year.
The United Nations has addressed AI with its first resolution on the subject.
Alongside his AI speech, Francis had a packed schedule of bilateral meetings. He met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and leaders from countries including Algeria, Brazil, India, Kenya, and Turkey.
The pope also planned meetings with G7 leaders, including President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and French President Emmanuel Macron.