VATICAN CITY - On Thursday, Pope Francis called on political, economic, and business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos to closely monitor the development of artificial intelligence, cautioning that the technology could worsen an ongoing "crisis of truth." In a written message delivered at the annual gathering in the Swiss resort town, which is focusing on A.I. this year, the pontiff acknowledged the technology's potential but expressed concern over "critical issues" regarding humanity's future.
"The outcomes produced by A.I. can be nearly indistinguishable from those created by humans, prompting questions about its impact on the escalating crisis of truth in public discourse," Francis stated. "To effectively navigate the complexities of A.I., it is essential for governments and businesses to practice due diligence and remain vigilant," he added in the statement read on his behalf by Cardinal Peter Turkson, a Vatican official.
Since becoming the leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church in 2013, Francis has increasingly addressed ethical concerns related to artificial intelligence. He previously discussed the technology at the Group of Seven summit in Italy last June, emphasizing that people should not allow algorithms to dictate their futures. Additionally, the pope fell victim to a viral deepfake image in early 2024, which was generated by an image-producing program and appeared to show him in an ankle-length white puffer coat.
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