A senior Catholic official in Vietnam urged Catholic students to use artificial intelligence as an aid to learning without allowing technology to replace their own thinking as they begin the 2026-2027 school year.
Archbishop Joseph Vu Van Thien of Hanoi made the appeal in an Aug. 30 message to Catholic students, calling on them to approach their studies with gratitude, perseverance and solidarity.
“Do not let artificial intelligence do the work that your own intelligence needs to do. Use technology as an assistant, but do not let it think for you,” Thien said.
The prelate said grades, degrees, and careers are important, but education should ultimately help students mature and become capable of serving others.
Thien linked the responsible use of technology to human dignity, telling students that each person is “a masterpiece of God.”
Citing Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which addresses Christians in the age of artificial intelligence, Thien said the pope emphasized the dignity of the human person with the words: “You are God’s masterpiece.”
“You are not the product of a random accident. Before you were formed in your mother’s womb, God knew you, called you by name and loved you,” he said.
He said learning and formation are part of developing the gifts and abilities entrusted to each person. “A masterpiece does not shine by itself if it is not polished,” he added.
The archbishop also urged students to persevere through difficult lessons, examinations, pressure, fatigue, and failure, describing such challenges as opportunities to develop determination, patience and trust in God.
He encouraged them not to focus only on intellectual development while neglecting their spiritual lives, and urged them to make time for prayer, Mass and Scripture, particularly when facing important decisions.
The archbishop also called on students to practice honesty, avoid cheating and deception, value friendships and help classmates who struggle with their studies.
He said students can take part in the Church’s mission by being joyful, compassionate and generous toward their peers.
“The Church and the world greatly need young people with mature knowledge, firm faith and generous hearts that love everyone,” Thien said.
He urged young people not to close themselves off in laziness or fleeting pleasures, but to devote themselves to study and personal formation.
“Study diligently and train yourselves so that you can affirm to the world: ‘I am God’s masterpiece,’” he said.
