The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Antiqua et Nova
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The Church has moved uncharacteristically rapidly in issuing an important doctrinal note, Antiqua et Nova, concerning Artificial Intelligence or (AI). The technological field of AI, which includes many kinds of machines performing tasks that are typically associated with the human intellect, is growing at an exponential rate which means its future developments are hard to predict. Pope Francis and the Roman Curia affirmed that AI has both beneficial applications and highly unethical ones. I commented on the medical ethics aspects of AI in 2023. Antiqua et Nova, from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and Dicastery for Culture and Education, drives home the crucial distinction that AI performs some tasks exceptionally well but can only mimic human qualities such as empathy and understanding.
As is the case with almost every technology, it can be used ethically for good or unethically for evil purposes. The Vatican has called for a responsible and ethical approach to artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need for AI to serve humanity, promote the common good, and uphold human dignity. In this context, Pope Francis has highlighted the importance of ensuring that AI development is aligned with ethical principles such as fairness, accountability, transparency, and respect for privacy.
The Vatican's approach to AI is centered on ensuring that technological advancements do not harm society's most vulnerable or deepen inequalities. It calls for international collaboration in creating regulations and guidelines for AI development, ensuring that these technologies benefit all of humanity and contribute to peace, justice, and sustainability. The Vatican also stresses the need for continuous ethical reflection on AI's impact on human relationships, labor, and society at large, advocating for its use to foster solidarity and social responsibility rather than exploitation or control.
I have reflected before on the unique situation of contemporary humanity living in the midst of a biotechnological revolution advancing at breakneck speed without much concern for the need to put ethical limits on what is developed and how it is used. St. John Paul II’s remarks from 2000 are quoted in Antiqua et Nova: “humanity now has instruments of unprecedented power: we can turn this world into a garden, or reduce it to a pile of rubble.” This is all the more obvious today. AI has the power to guide “Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems.” Some have already seen service in recent conflicts. Science fiction visions of machines hunting down and killing humans in swarms are not far from current reality. The Geneva Conventions, which seek to place humanitarian limits on warfare, will need updating to address this ethical issue of fully autonomous machine weapons that have the potential to be incredibly destructive.
The ethics of AI also must condemn the growing problem of so-called “deepfakes” that can be generated and propagated. Manipulated or completely fictitious news stories could be used to undermine key elements of an ordered society. The document presents this dramatically: “As deepfakes cause people to question everything and AI-generated false content erodes trust in what they see and hear, polarization and conflict will only grow. Such widespread deception is no trivial matter; it strikes at the core of humanity, dismantling the foundational trust on which societies are built.” The potential for influencing elections or damaging the good reputations of persons are examples of the severe ethical violations that could be committed.
One of the everyday ethical problems with AI is the danger of anthropomorphizing a virtual “girlfriend” or even the computer program that answers questions. This could lead to a real lessening of investment in human relationships, and the fostering of unrealistic expectations. It is sad that many now prefer the company of AI algorithms and machines to human beings. The uncanny mimicry of an actual human mind by AI can lead to confusion, but AI is a tool and the ethical responsibility for abuses of AI fall on its developers and end users. Therefore, legal responsibility and accountability for damage done by AI and its consequences must be clear and the rules put in place should feature transparency about the use of AI.
There was also a recent wake-up call after a Chinese firm released DeepSeek. Silicon Valley and Wall Street were alarmed by this AI technology from China that closed the gap with US open-source AI applications at a lower cost. It also raised ethical fears that AI with intentional bias could become dominant. DeepSeek clearly parrots the Chinese Communist Party’s line on the Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989, the status of Taiwan, etc. It underscores the point that the ethics of how these AI systems are programmed is vitally important.
Artificial intelligence should be a tool to complement and not replace the richness of human intelligence, the Holy See’s document concludes. The Church seeks to embrace what is good and warn against the dangers and abuses of AI. This new world we are speeding towards at an enormous pace needs robust ethical guidance as the stakes for humanity impacted by new technologies grow greater. It is commendable to see the Church making significant efforts to address these challenges and questions at a key moment in history when the future course of AI will be set.
(I experimented with ChatGPT to generate a part of this essay. Can you distinguish between artificial and human intelligence on the page? Hint: the AI uses the word Vatican more than I typically do. For the answer, go to the end of the newsletter.)
Joseph Meaney received his PhD in bioethics from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome. His doctoral program was founded by the late Elio Cardinal Sgreccia and linked to the medical school and Gemelli teaching hospital. His dissertation topic was Conscience and Health Care: A Bioethical Analysis. Dr. Meaney earned his master’s in Latin American studies, focusing on health care in Guatemala, from the University of Texas at Austin. He graduated from the University of Dallas with a BA in history and a concentration in international studies. The Benedict XVI Catholic University in Trujillo, Peru, awarded Dr. Meaney an honorary visiting professorship. The University of Dallas bestowed on him an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters in 2022.