In the future, the reliability of someone applying for a loan, 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. The lack of diversified levels of mediation that these systems introduce is particularly exposed to forms of prejudice and discrimination. Systemic errors can easily multiply, producing not only injustices in specific cases but also, through a domino effect, authentic forms of social inequality.
Furthermore, forms of artificial intelligence often seem capable of influencing individuals’ decisions through predetermined options associated with stimuli and persuasion, or through systems for regulating personal choices based on the organization of information. These forms of manipulation or social control require precise attention and supervision, and imply clear legal responsibility on the part of producers, those who use them, and government authorities.
Reliance on automatic processes that classify individuals, for example, through the widespread use of surveillance or the adoption of social credit systems, could also have profound repercussions on the social fabric, establishing inappropriate categorizations among citizens. And these artificial classification processes could even lead to power conflicts, not only with respect to virtual recipients, but also to real people. Fundamental respect for human dignity postulates rejecting that the uniqueness of the person be identified with a set of data. We must not allow algorithms to determine the way we understand human rights, to ignore the essential values of compassion, mercy and forgiveness, or to eliminate the possibility for an individual to change and leave the past behind.
In this context, we cannot fail to consider the impact of new technologies in the workplace. Jobs that were once the exclusive province of human labor are quickly absorbed by industrial applications of artificial intelligence. Here too there is a substantial risk of disproportionate benefit to a few at the expense of impoverishment for many. Respect for the dignity of workers and the importance of the occupation for the economic well-being of individuals, families and societies, job security and wage equity should be a high priority for the international community, as these forms of technology are increasingly introduced into the workplace.
6. Shall we beat swords into plowshares?
These days, looking at the world around us, we cannot avoid the serious ethical questions linked to the arms sector. The possibility of conducting military operations through remote control systems has led to a lesser perception of the devastation they have caused and the responsibility in their use, contributing to an even colder and more distant approach to the immense tragedy of war. . The pursuit of emerging technologies in the field of so-called “lethal autonomous weapons systems,” including the warfighting use of artificial intelligence, is a major source of ethical concern. Autonomous weapons systems can never be morally responsible subjects. The exclusive human capacity for moral judgment and ethical decision is more than a complex set of algorithms, and this capacity cannot be reduced to the programming of a machine that, although “intelligent”, is still always a machine. For this reason, it is imperative to ensure adequate, meaningful and consistent human oversight of weapons systems.
Nor can we ignore the possibility that sophisticated weapons end up in the wrong hands, facilitating, for example, terrorist attacks or actions aimed at destabilizing legitimate government institutions. In short, really the last thing the world needs is for new technologies to contribute to the unjust development of the arms market and trade, promoting the madness of war. If he does so, not only intelligence, but the very heart of man will run the risk of becoming increasingly “artificial.” The most advanced technical applications should not be used to facilitate the violent resolution of conflicts, but to pave the paths to peace.
In a more positive perspective, if artificial intelligence were used to promote integral human development, it could introduce important innovations in agriculture, education and culture, an improvement in the standard of living of entire nations and peoples, the growth of fraternity human and social friendship. Ultimately, the way we use it to include the least, that is, the weakest and most needy brothers and sisters, is the measure that reveals our humanity.
A human perspective and the desire for a better future for our world lead to the need for an interdisciplinary dialogue aimed at the ethical development of algorithms —the algorithmic—, in which values guide the itineraries of new technologies. Ethical issues should be taken into account from the beginning of the research, as well as in the experimentation, planning, distribution and marketing phases. This is the approach to planning ethics, in which educational institutions and those responsible for the decision-making process have an essential role to play.
7. Challenges for education
The development of technology that respects and serves human dignity has clear implications for educational institutions and the world of culture. By multiplying the possibilities of communication, digital technologies have allowed us new ways of meeting. However, a permanent reflection on the type of relationships it is leading us to continues to be necessary. Young people are growing up in cultural environments impregnated with technology and this cannot help but question teaching and training methods.
Education in the use of forms of artificial intelligence should primarily focus on promoting 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 obtained on the web or produced by artificial intelligence systems. Schools, universities and scientific societies are called to help students and professionals to make the social and ethical aspects of the development and use of technology their own.
Training in the use of new communication instruments should consider not only misinformation, false news, but also the disturbing increase in “ancestral fears that (…) have been able to hide and enhance themselves behind new technologies.” Unfortunately, once again we find ourselves having to combat “the temptation to create a culture of walls, to build walls to prevent encounters with other cultures, with other people” and the development of peaceful and fraternal coexistence.
8. Challenges for the development of international law
The global reach of artificial intelligence makes it evident that, along with the responsibility of sovereign states to internally discipline its use, international organizations can play a decisive role in achieving multilateral agreements and coordinating their application and action. To this end, I urge the community of nations to work together to adopt a binding international treaty that regulates the development and use of artificial intelligence in its many forms. Naturally, the aim of regulation should not only be to prevent bad practice, but also to encourage best practice, stimulating new and creative approaches and facilitating personal and collective initiatives.
In short, in the search for regulatory models that can provide ethical guidance to those who develop digital technologies, it is essential to identify the human values that should be the basis of societies’ commitment to formulate, adopt and apply the necessary legislative frameworks. The work of drafting ethical guidelines for the production of forms of artificial intelligence cannot ignore the consideration of deeper questions, related to the meaning of human existence, the protection of fundamental human rights and the search for justice and peace. This process of ethical and legal discernment can be revealed as a valuable occasion for shared reflection on the role that technology should have in our personal and community life and on how its use could contribute to the creation of a more just and humane world. For this reason, discussions on the regulation of artificial intelligence should take into account the voice of all stakeholders, including the poor, the marginalized and others who often go unheard in global decision-making processes.
I hope that this reflection encourages progress in the development of forms of artificial intelligence to contribute, ultimately, to the cause of human brotherhood and peace.
It is not the responsibility of a few, but of the entire human family. Peace, in fact, is the fruit of relationships that recognize and welcome the other in their inalienable dignity, and of cooperation and effort in the search for the integral development of all people and all peoples.
My prayer at the beginning of the new year is that the rapid development of forms of artificial intelligence will not increase the already numerous inequalities and injustices present in the world, but will help to end wars and conflicts, and alleviate so many forms of suffering that affect the human family. May the Christian faithful, believers of different religions and men and women of good will be able to collaborate in harmony to take advantage of the opportunities and face the challenges posed by the digital revolution, and leave future generations a more supportive, just and peaceful world. .