Deployment of AI technology must be approached with ethical rigour — Catholic Bishops
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has said that despite its enormous advantages, the deployment of artificial intelligence must be approached with ethical rigour.
The President of CBCN, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, stated this on Wednesday at the maiden edition of the Communication Week (COMWEEK) public lecture organised by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), with the theme ‘Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and Opportunities for Evangelization and Social Development’.
He said the meaning of the term ‘Artificial Intelligence’ is a subject of debate, and labelling it as ‘artificial’ suggests a replication or limitation, as it is derived from human intelligence.
The bishop said that despite its versatility and technological prowess, AI remains a facsimile of the original, namely human cognition.
“AI is a term born from advances in computer science and digital technology. It endows machines with the capacity for intelligent behaviour through sophisticated algorithms.
“Today, computers can perform tasks traditionally requiring human intelligence, such as understanding natural language, recognising patterns, learning from data, and making decisions.
“This has turned out to be a cause for joy and a reason for worry at the same time—joy because of the enormous positive possibilities as a result of digital technology and worry because of the grave life-defining dangers they pose at the same time.
He therefore said, “Despite the enormous benefits, the development and deployment of AI digital technology must be approached with ethical rigour. We must strive for a balance that prioritises human welfare alongside technological progress, mindful of ethical and moral dilemmas as well as risks such as job displacement, threats to peace in the world, the spread of falsehood through propaganda, manipulation of the human person, and privacy concerns through advanced hacking and deepfakes.”.
The Archbishop of Owerri said the Church has ceaselessly emphasised that collaboration between AI experts and social development practitioners is crucial, and together, areas where AI can significantly contribute to the common good will be identified.
In his goodwill message, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, said the position of the Pope has been in line with the constant magisterium of the Church that all scientific progress is a gift of God to humanity, to be used for human well-being to the glory of God.
“The same is true for Al, which is the latest in a rapidly changing human control of power and machines from mechanical to electrical and electronic and now computer and digital tools.
“The latest is bringing out machines that try to imitate human thinking. We don’t know how far developments in this regard will go. But the warning of Pope Francis remains valid: that it is not everything that we can do that we should do. Even scientific progress must be subject to human, moral, and ethical control. This is a responsibility that humanity abdicates at its great peril.”.
While delivering his paper, Reverend Father Anthony Akinwale said artificial intelligence can be used to promote a civilisation of love.
Father Akinwale, who is also the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Augustine University, said, “Artificial intelligence, or mathematized informatics, as I prefer to call it, can be used to promote a civilisation of love.
“Whether or not this will be the case depends not on machines and gadgets lacking in self-consciousness and self-volition but on human beings who, in their own self-consciousness and self-volition, are intelligent and free; who, in their intelligence and freedom, desire to love and be loved and possess the capacity to love and be loved; who work for their own good by working for the common good, and who work for the common good by working for their own good.”
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