Even the Pope has something to say about artificial intelligence.
Over the past year, there's been no shortage of scientists, tech CEOs, billionaires and lawmakers sounding the alarm over artificial intelligence — and now even the Pope wants to talk about it.
In a scathing 3,412-word letter on December 8, the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, warned of the dangers AI could pose to humanity and what needs to be done to control it. The letter comes as the Roman Catholic Church prepares to observe the World Day of Peace on January 1, 2024.
Pope Francis wants to see an international treaty governing AI developed and used ethically – otherwise we could fall into a spiral of “technological tyranny”.
“I urge the international community to work together to adopt a binding international agreement governing the development and use of artificial intelligence.”
The threat of AI arises when developers have a “lust for profit or thirst for power” that overrides the need to live in freedom and peace, the Pope explained.
“The natural dignity of each person […] They should serve as indisputable criteria for developing new technologies and evaluating them […] With due respect for justice, digital progress can be made and contribute to peace.
Technologies that fail to do this “exacerbate inequality and conflict” and therefore can never be considered true progress, he said.
Meanwhile, the emergence of AI-generated fake news is a “serious problem,” the Pope added, and could lead to distrust in the media.
The Pope was the most recent victim of generative AI when a fake image of him wearing a luxurious white puffer jacket went viral in March.
Pope Francis, however, acknowledged the benefits of AI in terms of more efficient manufacturing, easier transportation and more ready markets, as well as revolutionizing the process of storing, organizing and verifying information.
But he worries that AI will benefit those who control it and leave the majority of the population without jobs to pay for a living.
“There is a great danger of the disproportionate benefit of the few at the expense of the poverty of the many.”
Pope Francis has been warning against the misuse of new technologies, saying that “both theoretical and practical moral principles” need to be included in them. But he is often seen as more tech-savvy and forward-looking than his predecessors.
Pope Francis' latest comments come a year after outcry from all corners of the world about the dangers posed by AI.
Tech leaders like Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak have expressed concern about how fast AI is advancing. It prompted them and more than 2,600 tech leaders and researchers to sign a petition to “pause” AI development by March 2023, sharing fears that AI beyond GPT-4 would “pose a grave threat to society and humanity.”
US President Joe Biden expressed his concern. His administration issued an executive order on the “safe, secure and reliable development and use of artificial intelligence” in late October to address the risks posed by AI.
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Even Hollywood filmmakers and celebrities are adding their thoughts on the matter.
In July, it was reported that Canadian filmmaker James Cameron had been warning about the dangers of AI since “The Terminator,” which he directed 40 years ago.
“In the year I warned you in 1984 and you didn't listen,” Cameron told CTV News.
Terminator (1984) directed by James Cameron pic.twitter.com/dNBv6fO8fh
— Monica McCallion (@CallionMonica) October 31, 2023
“I think the AI weapon is the biggest risk […] I think we're going to be equally involved in the nuclear arms race with the AI, and if we don't build it, other people will surely build it, and then it's going to get worse.
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