On January 1st, the World Day of Peace is celebrated. This year is dedicated to an extremely topical issue: artificial intelligence and peace.
Pope Francis' message, on the occasion of the World Day of Peace on January 1, 2024, expressly says:
“The immense expansion of technology thus needs to be accompanied by an appropriate formation in responsibility for its future development. Freedom and peaceful coexistence are threatened whenever human beings yield to the temptation to selfishness, self-interest, the desire for profit and the thirst for power. We thus have a duty to broaden our gaze and to direct techno-scientific research towards the pursuit of peace and the common good, in the service of the integral development of individuals and communities”.
The message analyzes the consequences of artificial intelligence for the economy, human rights, the workplace, equal opportunities, military operations, democracy, education, information and International Law.
For this reason, Pope Francis calls for an international treaty. “I urge the global community of nations to work together in order to adopt a binding international treaty that regulates the development and use of artificial intelligence in its many forms. The goal of regulation, naturally, should not only be the prevention of harmful practices but also the encouragement of best practices, by stimulating new and creative approaches and encouraging individual or group initiatives”.
Finally, he asks for “the rapid development of forms of artificial intelligence will not increase cases of inequality and injustice all too present in today’s world, but will help put an end to wars and conflicts, and alleviate many forms of suffering that afflict our human family”.
The full text can be read at https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/20231208-messaggio-57giornatamondiale-pace2024.html .
In relation to this message, the president of the IPCM, Rafael Rodríguez-Ponga - who is also rector of the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU of Barcelona - stated: «The proposal for an international treaty on artificial intelligence is excellent. Once again the Pope shows us the way on a truly current issue. "It is evident that artificial intelligence will influence our lives and, therefore, the development of nations and the opportunities of emigrants."
In recent years, several IPCM member organizations have held study seminars on the impact of artificial intelligence.