IMAGE OF THE BEAST: The pope spoke about his concern regarding AI in a monthly "prayer intentions." He implied AI and robots could encourage existing inequalities, though acknowledged technology can have positive impacts. Worried Pope Francis has urged believers to pray that artificial intelligence and robots "always serve mankind."
The “prayer intentions”, has been shared on YouTube, where the pope suggested that he was concerned about technology. In his message, the Pope implied AI and robots could further increase inequalities. He said AI was “at the heart of the epochal change we are experiencing.” The Pope also acknowledged that robotics had the power to change the world in a positive way. However, they will only change the world for the better if harnessed correctly. The pope said: “Indeed if technological progress increases inequalities, it is not true progress.
According to the report from The Daily Star: “Future advances should be orientated towards respecting the dignity of the person.” It comes as earlier this year, Pope Francis supported a call by IBM and Microsoft to work on the ethics of AI. The leaders and the pope discussed “human-centred” ways of designing AI, reports BBC. Microsoft president Brad Smith said: “I think the world needs people from different places to come together.” He also said: “I think it’s a challenging time because there is so much polarization in so many parts of the world.” “We need people who can work to close the gaps that divide us – so in some ways I look at the Catholic Church, I look at a company like Microsoft, and I say why not?” -Full Report
