杏MAP导航

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

"Human dignity must never be violated for the sake of efficiency."

杏MAP导航 Francis offered this reminder in his message to the Chairman of the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The Holy Father began by observing that the theme of this year鈥檚 Forum is 鈥淐ollaboration for the Intelligent Age,鈥� which, he suggested, provides a good opportunity to reflect on artificial intelligence as a tool "not only for cooperation," "but also to bring peoples together."

The gift of intelligence

The 杏MAP导航 remembered that Christian tradition regards the gift of intelligence as an essential aspect of the human person created 鈥渋n the image of God.鈥� 

At the same time, 杏MAP导航 Francis highlighted, the Catholic Church has always been a protagonist and a supporter of the advancement of science, technology, the arts, and other forms of human endeavours, "considering them to be areas of 'collaboration of man and woman with God in perfecting the visible creation.'鈥�

Unforeseen situations create risk

Since AI is intended to imitate the human intelligence that designed it, 杏MAP导航 Francis suggested this poses a unique set of questions and challenges, especially since this technology is designed to learn and make certain choices autonomously, and can provide answers not foreseen by its programmers.

For this very reason, the 杏MAP导航 said, AI raises "fundamental questions about ethical responsibility, human safety, and the broader implications of these developments for society."

Assisting human person

"When used correctly," the 杏MAP导航 commended, "AI assists the human person in fulfilling his or her vocation, in freedom and responsibility."

As with all other human activity and technological development, he reminded, AI must be ordered to the human person and become part of efforts to achieve 鈥済reater justice, more extensive fraternity and a more humane order of social relations.鈥�

Achieving this, the 杏MAP导航 reiterated, is 鈥渕ore valuable than advances in the technical field.鈥� 

The Holy Father warned against the risk that AI will be used to advance the 鈥渢echnocratic paradigm鈥�, which perceives all the world鈥檚 problems as solvable through technological means alone. "Within this paradigm," he explained, "human dignity and fraternity are frequently subordinated in the pursuit of efficiency, as though reality, goodness, and truth inherently emanate from technological and economic power."

"Yet human dignity," he underscored, "must never be violated for the sake of efficiency." 

Cannot worsen inequalities or conflicts

In this context, the 杏MAP导航 stressed that technological developments that "do not improve life for everyone, but instead create or worsen inequalities and conflicts, cannot be called true progress."

For this reason, he said AI should be placed at the service of a healthier, more human, more social and more integral development.

Diligence and vigilance

"Progress marked by the dawn of AI," he insisted, "calls for a rediscovery of the importance of community and a renewed commitment to care for the common home entrusted to us by God."

"To navigate the complexities of AI," the 杏MAP导航 said, "governments and businesses must exercise due diligence and vigilance."  In this regard, he urged them to "critically evaluate the individual applications of AI in particular contexts in order to determine whether its use promotes human dignity, the vocation of the human person, and the common good." 

"As with many technologies," the Holy Father who has spoken in various contexts about the pros and cons of AI cautioned, "the effects of the various uses of AI may not always be predictable from their inception." 

AI directed toward the good of all

"As the application of AI and its social impact become clearer over time," the 杏MAP导航 stressed, "appropriate responses should be made at all levels of society," which, he illustrated, requires "individual users, families, civil society, corporations, institutions, governments, and international organizations working at their proper levels to ensure that AI is directed to the good of all." 

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded by offering his prayerful good wishes for the deliberations of the Forum and invoking divine blessings upon all its participants.