Today Sunday, 12 May observed as World Day of Social Communications, Pope Francis has drawn the attention of the world to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the wisdom of the heart. In his 58th World Day Message titled “Artificial Intelligence and the Wisdom of the Heart: Towards a Fully Human Communication,” the Holy Father encouraged everyone to enjoy the benefits of digital technology without losing sight of the creator and his plan for humanity.
Interestingly, on April 26, the Vatican announced that the Pope would participate in a session dedicated to AI at the G7 summit in Puglia, Southern Italy from June 13-15. The high-powered meeting will draw representatives from the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union, as well as Italy, Canada, France, Germany and Japan. Amid rhetoric that seems to question the role of religion in a high-tech-driven society, it is expected that the Pontiff will point toward developing ethical guidelines for the new technology. Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni has confirmed that she is “convinced that the presence of His Holiness will make a decisive contribution to the definition of a regulatory, ethical, and cultural framework for artificial intelligence.”
Francis has always held that AI Ethics must safeguard the good of the human family. For example, in 2023, the Vatican reported that the Pope received signatories of the “Rome Call for AI Ethics,” promoted by the Pontifical Academy for Life and Renaissance Foundation with a call for “a shared ethics regarding the great challenges that lie ahead on the horizon of artificial intelligence.” He lauded the initiative to safeguard the good of the human family urging all to be vigilant against misuse of technology and AI.
Between Artificial Intelligence and Natural Intelligence
Meanwhile, given the novel nature of this technology in Africa, it is crucial to watch out for four negative impacts of AI that Pope Francis talked about in his 58th World Day of Social Communications Day – cognitive pollution of false narratives and deep fake, creating groupthink which polarises public opinion, social isolation which promotes social integration and the aggression of being like God without God. These reveal the role of religion in society. Given the Kenyan-born John Mbiti’s (1975) timeless assertion that “Africans are notoriously religious,” it is crucial to acknowledge the benefits of AI.
According to experts, AI reduces human error, saves time, handles big data, facilitates decision-making, performs risky tasks, improves the workforce, and helps in medical applications. They also contend that it facilitates human communication and assists journalists in gathering, processing, and disseminating information to heterogeneous audiences. As such, initiatives that tackle power infractions would facilitate AI and saving information for unborn generations. We have traveled from the age stone age through the age of papyrus which first featured in Egypt to Gutenberg’s press. Therefore, massive investments in education – science, and technology could reverse the effects of brain drain so that dozens of experts in the Diaspora can return home to develop simulations that can address diseases, hunger, and environmental hazards such as drought.
Described as “the ability of a computer or robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligible beings,” scholars have categorised AI into three variants – Weak AI which is used in common day life focuses on one task at a time and has limits; Strong AI deployed by academics which understands, learns and fulfills any intellectual endeavour and Super AI which is still at a conceptual level, supersedes human intelligence as it is envisaged to perform any task better than human beings. AI takes advantage of algorithms and mathematical or arithmetical figures/elements to improve or predict human actions. At its core, AI deals with astonishing innovations exciting discoveries, and upsetting or disorienting equations in sound/music, speech, video, and pictorial materials as well as computer operations.
Although the concept of AI is foreign to the African, the human brain, mind and heart which are the engine rooms for initiating any AI technology enjoy pride of place. Despite its gains, for the African, the human person is at the heart of every communicative act. Africans associate communication with verbal and non-verbal cues of relating with fellow human beings in a way that encoding and decoding are carried out in a fraternal manner between participants and feedback is elicited. Although AI offers opportunities to humanity, experts have underscored its downsides to include – high cost and lack of creativity, bringing about unemployment and laziness, and lack of clear ethical guidelines and emotion.
AI, Africa and the Future of Humanity
Amid a seeming Western AI technology that invades people’s privacies and promotes crass individualism, collaborations between global tech titans that are spearheading the AI gold rush – Microsoft, IBM, Huawei, Nvidia, Google, and their partners in Africa, GITEX AFRICA 2024 and Clinify, Africa can favourably join the world as an epic global AI innovation epicenter for digital advancement with unique contributions. Reports by analysts Statista confirm that tech titans would spearhead an AI gold rush in Africa through massive investments across various sectors – finance, agriculture, healthcare, and mobility. This is expected to rise to the tune of US$17 billion by 2030 with a 30 percent yearly growth over the next six years.
In conclusion, for effective utilisation of AI, the Holy Father invites various governments, policymakers, academics, Civil Society Organisations, and the media to tackle exploitation and inequality, meet the individual and common needs of all; provide correct information and ensure greater freedom for all through justice, development, and peace. He also invites media workers and indeed, everyone to fully embrace human communication through the wisdom of the heart which alone has the capacity to help us deploy AI without losing sight of God. We must never forget that Artificial Intelligence (AI) rides on the back of Natural/Native Intelligence (NI). Humanity must watch out so that AI does not lead us to the dungeon of deep fake or a simulated reality of paradise.
Justine John Dyikuk, a Catholic priest, is a Lecturer of Mass Communication at, the University of Jos-Nigeria, Senior Fellow, International Religious Freedom Policy, Religious Freedom Institute (RFI), Washington DC and Ph.D. candidate, University of Strathclyde Glasgow, United Kingdom.
