How Do I Discern the Use of AI?
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...Question: My friends have different views on artificial intelligence. Some avoid it entirely because they believe it is morally problematic, others use it only for simple tasks, and still others rely on it for nearly everything. As Catholics, how can we discern when the use of AI is helpful and appropriate?
Question: My friends have different views on artificial intelligence. Some avoid it entirely because they believe it is morally problematic, others use it only for simple tasks, and still others rely on it for nearly everything. As Catholics, how can we discern when the use of AI is helpful and appropriate?
Answer: Your question touches on an issue Catholics have grappled with since the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), and its urgency has only intensified since Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.
The Church addresses innovation through the prism of an authentic Christian anthropology: that is, Catholics are called to evaluate new technology by how it respects the true nature of the human person—created to know, love, and serve God in this world and be with him forever in heaven. Therefore, the real question is: How do we use AI in ways that respect human dignity and serve the common good, while avoiding uses that diminish humanity’s God-given dignity?
Pope Leo XIV offers two biblical images as an answer:
- The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9) warns against the misuse of technology driven by pride, rigid uniformity, and the desire to dominate others. This approach undermines the nobility of the human person and fosters a culture devoid of reference to the Divine. Babel cautions us against any innovation that objectifies people, reducing humanity to something lesser than God's masterpiece—formed in His image and likeness.
- Nehemiah's Rebuilding of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:11–20ff.) serves as a model for the virtuous use of technology. This paradigm asks Catholics to ensure that technology fosters cooperation, shared responsibility, and a focus on the common good. It envisions a framework centered on authentic communion with God and our neighbors.
In these images, we see that Catholic teaching is rooted in the natural order manifested in creation, where men and women are called to be good stewards who work together so all individuals can live in the freedom of God’s children. In this paradigm, technology’s aim must always be the flourishing of the human person.
I think the current urgency surrounding AI stems from the recognition that recent technological innovations have had unintended consequences. For example, while social media demonstrated the promise of global interconnection, we have also seen how easily it can ensnare people in ideological echo chambers, fuel extremism, and deepen social division. The same pitfalls can come with AI if we fail to approach it with moral reflection and intentionality.
Ultimately, the moral weight of AI depends on one’s intentions. Pope Leo XIV reminds us that the authentic Catholic path is not a total rejection of technology, but prudent discernment about how we use it. We must actively seek ways this tool can serve the common good while remaining clear-eyed about its moral risks.
Magnifica Humanitas provides many guideposts for prudent discernment. After reading the encyclical, I asked AI to summarize it so I could distill the practical advice the Pope provided. Perhaps this is a way that can help you to prudently discern how you and your friends can make proper use of this new tool.
