Encountering Artificial Intelligence: Ethical and Anthropological Investigations

Abstract

What does it mean to consider the world of AI through a Christian lens? Rapid developments in AI continue to reshape society, raising new ethical questions and challenging our understanding of the human person. Encountering Artificial Intelligence draws on Pope Francis’ discussion of a culture of encounter and broader themes in Catholic social thought in order to examine how current AI applications affect human relationships in various social spheres and offers concrete recommendations for better implementation. The document also explores questions regarding personhood, consciousness, and the kinds of relationships humans might have with even the most advanced AI. Through these discussions, the document investigates the theoretical and practical challenges to interpersonal encounter raised by the age of AI. Cover image credit: The cover image for Encountering Artificial Intelligence: Ethical and Anthropological Investigations was created by Jordan Wales using Dall-E and the prompt “a sibyl conjures a deep neural network, oil on canvas by Raphael.”