On AI…

One of the things I have been considering this week is Artificial Intelligence.  There has been much in the press in recent weeks about Pope Leo’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity) and I can now say I have ploughed through it all.

It is a spectacular document and a rallying call to the world to wake up and take notice of the reality of the power which is being unleashed on humanity through this technology.  Its sets AI in terms of Christian understanding and seeks to offer both ways to embrace it, and to challenge it where necessary.  It speaks to our understanding of society, democracy and globalization. 

Some of the key points I have been considering after reading it are the urgency with which we need to ensure AI is more tightly controlled, particular in its use in wars, and the need to find a way to protect society from the kinds of vocational redundancy it will no doubt lead to. 

I try to keep balance in my life and use technology to serve my needs.  The reality is we all have to wake up to the fact that technology is fast becoming such an essential component of our everyday lives that is changing our needs, and the skills and attributes we value as society are changing as a result.

One of the most important points Magnifica Humanitas makes is that this technology is largely unregulated, and that it is controlled by some of the richest corporations in the world.  This has to be challenged and we are already living with the consequences of our failure to grasp the pace and significance of the changes AI is creating.

I urge you to spend some time reading Pope Leo’s encyclical.  It is a cry to humanity in a world that is increasingly desperate and broken.