Pope Leo warns AI could become a new form of ‘economic colonialism’

Pope Leo XIV has a elemental petition for lawmakers tasked pinch shaping AI policy: put humans first.

The pontiff encouraged them to instrumentality laws that uplift their constituents astatine the International Catholic Legislators Network's yearly convention successful Rome connected Friday. During his speech, Pope Leo cautioned lawmakers that putting tech complete group could person dire consequences.

"At the aforesaid time, the accelerated improvement of artificial intelligence risks creating caller forms of technological dependence, pinch poorer nations progressively reliant connected wealthier ones," he said. "We must stay vigilant successful this regard, lest invention go different conveyance for ideological aliases economical colonialism."

The pope told lawmakers that social media algorithms already represent a shape of domination.

"Sadly, we are presented pinch a subtle shape of domination erstwhile algorithms determine who is seen, who remains invisible, erstwhile integer platforms style nationalist sermon without accountability, and erstwhile the dignity of workers is subordinated to the optimization of systems," he said.

Pope Leo besides expressed interest that AI could undermine families and their spot successful society.

"For it is wrong the family that we first study spot earlier calculation, generosity earlier competition, speech earlier division, and emotion earlier power," he said. "Artificial intelligence must ne'er beryllium allowed to erode this superior compartment of nine — whether by reducing persons and relationships to information and simulations, by flooding young minds pinch contented that distorts desire, aliases by economical models that make family life economically precarious."

He asked that the lawmakers beforehand policies that "strengthen matrimony and families, support parents successful their acquisition ngo and alteration young group to look to the early pinch confidence."

Pope Leo has made AI a cardinal statement since the early days of his papacy. Last year, he asked the AI industry to "cultivate civilized discernment" and "develop systems that bespeak justice, solidarity, and a reverence for life." In May, Pope Leo issued a letter connected AI's effect connected the world workforce, the environment, and democracy, which drew responses from CEOs, lawmakers, and academics.

His remarks travel astatine a clip erstwhile tech companies are urging consumers to merge AI into astir each parts of their regular lives. While AI optimists opportunity the tech tin automate and velocity up tasks, critics interest it will upend the occupation marketplace and displace quality workers.

Many companies person instructed labor to adopt AI tools. In May, a Unitarian Universalist was granted a faith-based accommodation by her leader to debar utilizing AI astatine her job.