New Ethics for Artificial Intelligence

Vatican releases “Antiqua et Nova”: a new document on AI ethics

The Vatican has recently published a significant document titled “Antiqua et Nova: Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence.”

This document, a collaboration between the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Culture and Education, offers ethical guidance on the development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), aimed particularly at Catholic institutions but also to all who recognize the need to direct scientific and technological progress towards serving the human person and the common good.

The Document focuses on :

• Potential and Risks: the document acknowledges AI’s great potential in various sectors such as education, the economy, labor, and health. At the same time, it highlights the risks associated with its use, including social inequalities, manipulation, excessive surveillance, and the possibility of harmful applications in warfare.
• Distinction Between AI and Human Intelligence: the document stresses that AI is not an artificial form of human intelligence but a product of it. Human intelligence goes beyond pure rationality, including the capacity to find meaning and purpose in life
• Ethics and Responsibility: the document calls for critical reflection on the ethical implications of AI and urges that crucial decisions about the future of humanity not be delegated to purely technological, commercial, or political considerations. It is essential that humanity maintain ownership and responsibility for the development and use of AI.

The document underlines the severe implications it might have in different sectors:    Warfare (autonomous and lethal weapons systems that operate without human intervention), Human Relations (social isolation, de-personalization, and manipulation in human relationships), Economy and Labor (worker deskilling, automated surveillance, and increased inequality), Health (replacing the doctor-patient relationship), Education (lack of critical thinking skills), Fake News, Privacy (excessive data collection and digital surveillance), Sustainability (the high consumption of energy and resources that might be a severe risk for environmental sustainability).

The document encourages people to become informed and actively participate in the debate on AI, taking responsibility for their actions and its use, promoting a balanced approach to AI. The goal is to ensure that AI is a tool serving humanity and the common good.

Images

• Photo of  Markus Winkler by Unsplash

Sources

• ANTIQUA ET NOVA – Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence – DICASTERY FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH and DICASTERY FOR CULTURE AND EDUCATION