Pope Francis has emphasized the importance of cultivating the wisdom of the heart in the age of artificial intelligence in his annual message for the 58th World Day of Social Communications.
The theme for this year, “Artificial Intelligence and the Wisdom of the Heart: Towards a Fully Human Communication,” underscored the Pope’s concern about the profound impact of AI on information, communication, and societal foundations.
The message, released on the 12th of May, aligned closely with the Pope’s previous address for the World Day of Peace, which delved into the development of artificial intelligence systems and their potential consequences on humanity.
Pope Francis acknowledged that AI is bringing about radical changes in the world of information and communication, affecting the fabric of society itself.
“How can we remain fully human and guide this cultural transformation to serve a good purpose?” said the pontiff.
Pope Francis urged a return to the human heart as the starting point for addressing this question. He emphasizes the significance of the heart as a symbol of freedom, decision-making, integrity, unity, and, most importantly, as the place of encounter with God.
“Wisdom of the heart,” he explained, is the virtue that enables the integration of various aspects of life, decisions, emotions, and dreams.
However, Pope Francis warned against seeking such wisdom from machines. He distinguished between the storage of data, the capability of machines, and the meaningful interpretation of that data, a unique capacity possessed by human beings alone.
While recognizing the utility of AI in specific fields, the Pope emphasized the potential dangers when AI distorts relationships with others and reality.
He underscored the importance of regulating artificial intelligence but acknowledged that regulation alone is insufficient. The Pope called for collective growth in humanity, challenging society to become “a complex, multiethnic, pluralistic, multireligious, and multicultural” entity.
Pope Francis also mentioned the sacrifices made by journalists who, in their pursuit of truth, have been injured or killed. He stressed the need for direct contact with the suffering of individuals to appreciate the absurdity of war.
The pontiff said the world has a choice to become mere subjects of algorithms or to nourish hearts with freedom essential for wisdom.
He prayed for humanity not to lose its bearings and for the return of the wisdom that predates modern technology, believing that such wisdom can guide the responsible use of artificial intelligence in the service of fully human communication.
