Artificial Intelligence and the Human Person

Every development of technology, even from the days of antiquity, has changed the way we live, work, build, and communicate. Numerous examples come to mind: the block and pulley, the printing press, the telephone, the computer chip and countless medical discoveries.
Artificial intelligence has now exploded on the scene of information and culture in a big way, and it will undoubtedly have a profound impact on our lives for many years to come. Some would say that artificial intelligence (AI) is ushering in a whole new era and a new way of life. This could be a good thing, or it could turn out badly. It all depends on how we, as thinking human beings, choose to use it.

Like all new technologies, AI has great promise and potential. Already it is being used to further the work of medical care, weather prediction and engineering. AI could potentially help to solve complex and intractable problems and thus alleviate immense suffering and hardship. It can also assist us in our daily work and save us considerable time in the completion of mundane tasks. In its best form, it could open paths for bettering the lives of people all over the world.

However, AI could also be used to exploit and dominate. Like many other technologies, AI could be hijacked by malicious actors to harm others and to create division and strife. It might also be used to mislead and deceive, as many people have already discovered. As it becomes more versatile and powerful, the moral evaluation of AI will become even more important. And this is where human reason and conscience become indispensable. AI can be very creative and even eloquent, but it does not have a conscience. It can offer recommendations on various actions and strategies, but these are based on the underlying assumptions that are built into the system. AI does not actually know whether an act is good or evil, right or wrong, in the same way that a human person does. Every human person has a God-given conscience that allows one to evaluate the morality of a given act. AI can approximate this, but conscience is unique to our humanity.

In every era, the Church reflects on developments that affect the human family and does so in light of our faith in God. The Church enters into this discussion of AI not with technical answers and expertise but with the wisdom granted us by God and the care for all of humanity. Pope Leo XIV has frequently spoken of the revolutionary changes that will come with advancements in technology, especially artificial intelligence. But he also warns that such changes must always respect the unique dignity and individuality of the human person. He urges that this very advanced and powerful technology should be used not for the benefit of the few, but for all, for the common good. Underlying his exhortation, he appeals once again to the “civilization of love,” which is rooted in our relationship with God, who is love itself.

The Holy Father recently issued his first encyclical letter, a teaching document addressed to the entire Church and the world, entitled Magnifica Humanitas, which means “Magnificent Humanity.” In his extensive letter, he addresses the opportunities available to us through this new technology, but he also points out the risks associated with it. His principal purpose is to remind us of the dignity of every human person in the light of these new developments, and to caution against losing this dignity in the enthusiasm for AI and the innovations that flow from it. The human person is sacred and cannot be reduced to a set of numbers and statistics. The human person has God-given dignity and rights and must always have primacy in our decisions and actions.

We read of great advances through the use of AI, but we also hear of AI as a sort of replacement for the individual person, in the workplace, in culture, in conversation, and even in relationships. Even in the light of its amazing potential and new opportunities, we have to remember that AI is a technological construct, and it cannot replace the reality of the human person. An indiscriminate use of AI runs the risk of dehumanizing our society. In other words, we can become so enamored by AI and its marvels, that we marginalize the real human person who is right in front of us.

Pope Leo tells us: “…every person is unique and irreplaceable, a free and intelligent subject with a conscience, capable of seeking God, serving one another, caring for our common home.” Even as AI promises to bring enormous change to our culture and our world, we must work together to build a more human and fraternal society, and never lose sight of the unique, God-given dignity of each one of our brothers and sisters.

Some claim that the advent of AI is the beginning of a new golden era, and others warn that AI will take over and be the doom of humanity. These forecasts seem rather extreme, and I won’t attempt to predict the future. But AI is here, and we will have to deal with it. Technology can be a useful tool, but it can never substitute for the genius and creativity of the human person. It cannot love sacrificially or aspire to the transcendent life that God has prepared for us. As with all new things, we should approach AI with a firm grounding in our faith, in the truths that God has revealed to us, and in the light of the saving love of Jesus Christ. Let us pray for the wisdom of the Holy Spirit as we continue our journey together.