Pope Francis’ message for January 1, 2024 dedicated to the relationship between the new frontiers of AI and the challenge of peace. The Pontiff warns against dangers such as the manipulation of information and the development of weapons that hide responsibilities: “The international community must develop and adopt a binding treaty on the use of these instruments”
(AsiaNews) – The most advanced applications of artificial intelligence “should not be used to facilitate the violent resolution of conflicts, but to pave the paths to peace”. Pope Francis writes it in his message for the 57th World Day of Peace which the Church will celebrate on 1 January 2024 and which this year focuses on the theme “Artificial intelligence and peace”. In the text – released today by the Holy See press office – the Pontiff proposes a long and detailed reflection on the new frontiers of science and digital technology, calling for responsible development and regulation in light of its “serious implications for the pursuit of justice and of harmony between peoples”.
For Pope Francis, the development of algorithms capable of processing immense quantities of data, often extrapolated without the knowledge of the interested parties, raises precise ethical questions. They will be able to benefit our communities – he comments – «only if we demonstrate ourselves capable of acting responsibly and respecting fundamental human values such as “inclusion, transparency, security, equity, confidentiality and reliability”. It is not enough to assume that those who design algorithms and digital technologies have a commitment to acting ethically and responsibly. It is necessary to strengthen or, if necessary, establish bodies responsible for examining emerging ethical issues and protecting the rights of those who use forms of artificial intelligence or are influenced by it.”
The dangers are indeed great. In the message the Pontiff mentions, for example, the so-called “machines that learn by themselves”, the result of disciplines such as machine learning where he deep learning. «The ability of some devices to produce syntactically and semantically coherent texts – writes Pope Francis – is no guarantee of reliability. It is said that they can “hallucinate”, that is, generate statements that at first glance seem plausible, but which in reality are unfounded or betray prejudices.” This can generate phenomena such as “discrimination, interference in electoral processes, the taking hold of a society that monitors and controls people, digital exclusion and the exacerbation of an individualism increasingly disconnected from the community”. All factors that “risk fueling conflicts and hindering peace”.
Then there is the question of transparency in the criteria: «“intelligent” machines – recalls the Pope – can carry out the tasks assigned to them with ever greater efficiency, but the purpose and meaning of their operations will continue to be determined or enabled by beings humans possessing their own universe of values. The risk is that the criteria underlying certain choices become less clear, that decision-making responsibility is hidden and that producers may escape the obligation to act for the good of the community.”
Without forgetting the problems linked to the “categorization” of people: «In the future – Francesco denounces – the reliability of those requesting a mortgage, the suitability of an individual for a job, the possibility of recidivism of a convicted person or the right to receive political asylum or social assistance could be determined by artificial intelligence systems.” But in doing so there is the risk that “forms of prejudice and discrimination easily end up multiplying, producing not only injustices in individual cases but also, as a domino effect, real forms of social inequality”. «Algorithms must not be allowed – warns the Pope – to determine the way in which we understand human rights, to put aside the essential values of compassion, mercy and forgiveness or to eliminate the possibility that an individual changes and leaves himself the past behind us.”
The question of the use of artificial intelligence by the armaments industry also fits into this framework. «The possibility of conducting military operations through remote control systems – observes Francis – has led to a lesser perception of the devastation caused by them and of the responsibility for their use, contributing to an even colder and more detached approach to the immense tragedy of war. Research into emerging technologies in the area of so-called “lethal autonomous weapons systems,” including the use of artificial intelligence in warfare, is a serious cause for ethical concern. Autonomous weapons systems can never be morally responsible entities: the unique human capacity for moral judgment and ethical decision-making is more than a complex set of algorithms, and this capacity cannot be reduced to the programming of a machine.”
«We cannot even ignore – adds the Pontiff – the possibility that sophisticated weapons end up in the wrong hands, facilitating, for example, terrorist attacks or interventions aimed at destabilizing legitimate government institutions. In short, the world really doesn’t need new technologies to contribute to the unfair development of the arms market and trade, promoting the madness of war. In doing so, not only intelligence, but the very heart of man, will run the risk of becoming increasingly artificial.”
Hence – therefore – the invitation to take up the two great challenges that the development of artificial intelligence poses today. The first is educational: «There remains the need for continuous reflection on the type of relationships to which they are directing us – explains the Pope -. Education in the use of forms of artificial intelligence should above all aim to promote critical thinking. It is necessary for users of all ages, but especially young people, to develop a capacity for discernment in the use of data and content collected on the web or produced by artificial intelligence systems.”
However, the development of specific rules of international law that regulate the development and use of these systems also appears urgent. «I urge the community of nations to work together in order to adopt a binding international treaty, which regulates the development and use of artificial intelligence in its many forms», writes Francis. Indicating the objective not only of the prevention of bad practices, “but also the encouragement of good practices, stimulating new and creative approaches and facilitating personal and collective initiatives”.
«I hope that this reflection – he concludes – encourages us to ensure that progress in the development of forms of artificial intelligence ultimately serves the cause of human brotherhood and peace. It is not the responsibility of a few, but of the entire human family. May the Christian faithful, believers of various religions and men and women of good will collaborate in harmony to seize the opportunities and face the challenges posed by the digital revolution, and hand over to future generations a more supportive, just and peaceful world.”