Pope Francis calls for global AI treaty for ethical use

Pope Francis has urged global leaders to adopt a worldwide agreement governing the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI).

In a comprehensive message preceding the Catholic Church’s World Day of Peace on January 1, which focuses on AI this year, the 86-year-old pontiff acknowledged the positive impact of technological advances in alleviating human suffering.

However, he cautioned against the potential risks posed by certain discoveries, emphasising the need for responsible AI application.

He highlighted the dangers of using AI, including in disinformation and interference in elections, and also to make decisions — from social security payments to where to target weapons — for which responsibility becomes blurred.

Expressing concerns about the pursuit of absolute freedom leading to a “technological dictatorship,” he emphasised the importance of an international treaty to oversee AI development and use. The goal of such a treaty would be to prevent harm and promote responsible practices.

Pope Francis underscored that the designers of algorithms and digital technologies cannot be presumed to consistently act ethically and responsibly.

Instead, he called for “binding international treaty” to regulate the development and use of AI, with the goal of preventing harm and sharing good practice.

“Technological developments that do not lead to an improvement in the quality of life of all humanity, but on the contrary aggravate inequalities and conflicts, can never count as true progress,” he wrote.

Concerns about AI have increased since the chatbot ChatGPT, a mass-market gateway to generative AI, exploded onto the scene in late 2022.

The European Union is working on a broad law covering the sector, while Chinese legislation specifically regulating generative AI came into force in August this year.

US President Joe Biden also issued an executive order on AI safety standards in October.

Pope Francis himself has been the subject of several AI-generated images, including one that went viral, showing him wearing a huge white puffer coat with a large crucifix hanging over it.

With inputs from AFP