In what most would consider a halcyon time for artificial intelligence, an anachronistic source has just added their two cents to the ethos around the AI revolution. The Vatican, on Jan. 28, released a significant broadside addressing the potential and risks of AI in a new high-tech world.
It’s a very interesting look at these new technologies through the lens of religion, and of Catholicism in particular, with a focus on human worth and human dignity. Now, I should specify that there is no single “author” on this paper, though much of that it covers is reportedly based on ideas put forth by the pope in recent years. Instead, the article is signed by Cardinal Víctor Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, as well as Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education.
To Be Human
As the paper discusses relativity between humans and artificial intelligence entities, the writers routinely return to the innate value of humanity, starting with this qualifying statement:
“The church encourages the advancement of science technology, the arts, and other forms of human endeavor, viewing them as part of the collaboration of men and women with God and perfecting the visible creation,” they write. “God gave skill to human beings, that he might be glorified in his marvelous works.”
The writers proceed to talk about AI “imitating the human intelligence that designed it,” also noting the power of AI to eclipse the products of many human endeavors.
“AI can be trained on the results of human creativity and then generate new ‘artifacts’ with a level of speed and skill that often rivals or surpasses what humans can do, such as producing text or images indistinguishable from human compositions,” they write. “This raises critical concerns about AI’s potential role in the growing crisis of truth in the public forum. Moreover, this technology is designed to learn and make certain choices autonomously, adapting to new situations and providing solutions not foreseen by its programmers, and thus, it raises fundamental questions about ethical responsibility and human safety, with broader implications for society as a whole. This new situation has prompted many people to reflect on what it means to be human and the role of humanity in the world.”
Invoking Dartmouth and the Turing Test
I was surprised by how the writers of “Antiqua et Nova” go back to early landmarks in AI planning and design, specifically referencing the Dartmouth conference in 1956, that I’ve written about extensively in prior blog posts. They also mention the Turning test – named for Alan Turing, the codebreaker in World War II, who popularized the idea that we can consider a machine intelligent if its communications are indistinguishable from those of a human.
The writers note that “many tasks once managed exclusively by humans are now entrusted to AI,” and mentions the probable development of artificial general intelligence and super-intelligence.
Human Dialectics
The paper also contrasts human reason with human intellect, describing reason as “the inquisitive and discursive process,” and intellect as “an inward grasp of the truth.” It contrasts the human body and the soul of a human, in saying “spirit and matter are not two natures united, but rather their union forms a single nature.”
And the writers talk about human relationality and relationships, and the role that those play in our times. Again, they go back to the nature of humanity, noting that unlike the cognition of AI, human thought is done “organically,” in his own words, “shaped by a myriad of experiences in the flesh.”
Elsewhere in the essay, issues of human dignity, privacy and equity are addressed. The writers talk about privacy concerns and other threats from artificial intelligence systems.
For example, there is a section of the piece where the writers talk about anthropomorphization of AI by children and how that could affect developing minds.
“Anthropomorphizing AI also poses specific challenges for the development of children, potentially encouraging them to develop patterns of interaction that treat human relationships in a transactional manner, as one would relate to a chatbot,” they write. “Such habits could lead young people to see teachers as mere dispensers of information rather than as mentors who guide and nurture their intellectual and moral growth. Genuine relationships, rooted in empathy and a steadfast commitment to the good of the other, are essential and irreplaceable in fostering the full development of the human person.”
AI Applications
Later, the writers also include categories of mention, regarding applications of AI to labor, healthcare, education and warfare.
In concluding remarks, the writers call us, once more, to move toward humanity and humanism, citing French Catholic author, George Bernanos, saying that – “the danger is not in the multiplication of machines, but in the ever-increasing number of men accustomed from their childhood on to desire only what machines can give.”
Warning of “digital reductionism,” the writers ask for a reckoning of human value.
“A significant challenge and opportunity for the common good today lies in considering AI within a framework of relational intelligence, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of individuals and communities and highlights our shared responsibility for fostering the integral well-being of others,” they write.
After reading the entire thing, I thought that it’s much more than just a moral exhortation by religious leaders. “Antiqua et Nova” goes to the heart of what we are supposed to do with these newfound capabilities that aren’t really ours and don’t really belong to us, fully. A machine endowed with artificial general intelligence is not a dishwasher, and we’re fooling ourselves if we think that we don’t need a new framework and discourse for figuring out how to coexist with our artificially intelligent counterparts.
