Liberal Pope Francis has warned that the human race is becoming an “enemy of itself and of the planet.”
The papal issued the warning before world leaders during the first-ever papal address at a G-7 conference on Friday.
He made the comments while raising the alarm about the ethical pitfalls of artificial intelligence (AI).
The pope told the council of world leaders in Fasano, Italy, that AI offers immense benefits to the human race.
However, he also asserted that the technology threatens to dehumanize society.
In his remarks, Francis said:
“The question of artificial intelligence, however, is often perceived as ambiguous: on the one hand, it generates excitement for the possibilities it offers, while on the other, it gives rise to fear for the consequences it foreshadows”
He continued:
“In this regard, we could say that all of us, albeit to varying degrees, experience two emotions: we are enthusiastic when we imagine the advances that can result from artificial intelligence but, at the same time, we are fearful when we acknowledge the dangers inherent in its use.”
The pontiff continued by comparing AI to primitive flint knives and nuclear energy.
He acknowledged that every development in human technology has presented opportunities