Most Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese and Member of the Vatican Discastery for Communications has urged the world to engage with Artificial Intelligence to augment human intelligence and not displace it. According to him, we must keep the human being at the centre of our activities with AI. The President, Pan-African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS) made this assertion in his message entitled “Thoughts on the Holy Father Pope Francis Message,” on World Communications Day (WCD) held recently globally. In his message for WCD, Pope Francis charged humanity to cultivate wisdom of the heart in the age of artificial intelligence. The Holy Pontiff’s 2024 message focused on the theme, “Artificial Intelligence and the Wisdom of the Heart: Towards a Fully Human Communication.”
Bishop Badejo said, “Pope Francis asked that we “set aside catastrophic predictions and their numbing effects” and enter into this process with openness and sensitivity. “We must keep the human being at the centre of our reflections and activities, engage with the AI technology and manage it despite its power, in such a way that it does not result in a displacement or crushing of the human person and human relationships.” The prelate noted that this can be simply realised by Christians and other believers. He explained, “When you have been raised on Divine (supernatural), intelligence by which I mean “faith in Almighty God, especially through Jesus Christ, artificial intelligence should not overwhelm or confound you. “For Catholics particularly who are used to images and sacramentals and derive inspiration from them without deifying or worshipping them, it should be taken for granted that they would never worship AI. (man-made God, man-made God… I will never worship…).”
Bishop Badejo added, “While recognising the enormous potential AI can offer “in improving human capability”. The Holy Father emphasised that we must also strive “to protect, preserve and cherish the dignity of the human person.” The enormous advances made in AI, therefore, “cannot be the sole property of its developers, or any single part of the human race,” but benefit all in serving the common good, safeguarding climate, and aiming at sustainable development.” He advocated for collaboration to expose the illusions of AI. “Be that as it may, it is good to note what the Holy Father said about the appearance and illusion of “intelligence”, crafted as AI whereas in reality we refer to “advanced machine learning” because tools, no matter how advanced they may be, can never have the reflective and affective character of the human being. “
It is for the same reason, that Professor Anthony Akinwale, during the open lecture for the 2024 World Communications Day, organised by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria preferred to speak of “mathematised informatics” rather than “Artificial Intelligence” because authentic intelligence can only be divine and human.” The member of Vatican Discastery for Communications however enjoined all to find practical ways to utilise what he described as “beautiful insights of the Pope’s WCD message” as well as the Church’s respective reflections of AI.
