Homily provokes thought on AI and its faith impact
By Dc. Tom Cuskey, editor
One hears and reads a lot these days about AI,as in ‘artificial intelligence’, and the impact it is having — or may have in the future — on how we live. This is especially true for communications at all levels. Is it a human or a digital commodity that has authored the book, email, ad or social media post you’re taking in? Or in a video or phone call you’ve received.
Like so many things in the digital world, AI has great potential for good and some very negative possibilities.
This was the topic of a recent homily delivered by Msgr. Neal Quartier, rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse. He quoted from a book, What Makes Us Human, where the authors describe AI as “the most morally laden topic of our time.”
“I read it, and then reflected on the Scriptures for the whole weekend,” Msgr. shared. The Gospel for the Mass was from John (2:13-25) where Jesus drives the moneychangers from the temple, coupled with the passage from Exodus (20:1-17) where Moses receives the Ten Commandments. “And I just put that together; what needs to be cleansed in our world today?”
Msgr. shared, in additional comments to The Catholic Sun, his personal awareness of the problems caused when hurtful things are stated on social media and “the ability of people to say anything they want,” often with little concern for the accuracy and veracity of their words. “So there’s that, and then just the awareness of the possibilities of artificial intelligence, the wonderful things that it is doing and can do, but the horrible things if we don’t take responsibility for it.”
Msgr. also expressed concern for the book’s finding that those who get caught up in the digital frenzy can be consumed in a type of idol worship. This can be especially true of young people. “It’s a post Christian world, and they’re looking at our young people … searching for meaning, and connection. Social media gives them that but it’s empty. They’re moving away from people, they’re becoming reclusive. It’s causing a lot more depression.” Msgr. also points to the failure of corporations, institutions and government regulators to ensure a safe environment for those using these platforms.
In his homily, Msgr. points out the important, basic difference between a digital interface and human interaction. “Part of what makes us human is that we have a soul … we just don’t have a soul, we are a soul.”
Watch Msgr. Quartier’s homily here: https://tinyurl.com/MsgrQhomilyAI
