Pope Francis warns against ethical dangers of AI, calls for regulation

Pope Francis has called for a binding international treaty to regulate artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing the need to prevent algorithms from replacing human values. In a written message for the World Day of Peace, he warned against a “technological dictatorship” that poses a threat to humanity.

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The message, titled “Artificial Intelligence and Peace,” highlights the global scale of AI and the role of international organizations in regulating its use. Pope Francis urged nations to collaborate on adopting a treaty to govern the development and application of AI.

“The global scale of artificial intelligence makes it clear that, alongside the responsibility of sovereign states to regulate its use internally, international organizations can play a decisive role in reaching multilateral agreements and coordinating their application and enforcement,” Francis wrote in the message.

The technology has also raised fears about the risks to jobs, privacy, and copyright protection.

“The immense expansion of technology thus needs to be accompanied by an appropriate formation in responsibility for its future development,” Francis wrote. “Freedom and peaceful coexistence are threatened whenever human beings yield to the temptation to selfishness, self-interest, the desire for profit and the thirst for power.”

This comes as governments worldwide grapple with finding a balance between the benefits and risks of AI technology. Last week, the European Union reached a provisional deal on landmark AI rules, addressing issues such as biometric surveillance and the regulation of AI systems.

Pope Francis, a vocal critic of the arms industry, has expressed serious ethical concerns about the weaponization of AI. The pope cautioned against using AI in weapons, saying it could be disastrous.