Why Catholics do not need to fear AI

By Andrew Gillsmith

Author of “Our Lady of the Artilects”

Artificial intelligence is moving quickly, and it is understandable that many people feel uneasy about it. We hear that AI can write, speak, create images, answer questions, and imitate human conversation. For Catholics, this naturally raises deeper questions. What makes us human? What is the soul? Can a machine ever become more than a machine?

I do not think Catholics need to fear these questions. In fact, our faith gives us a strong foundation for thinking about them clearly.

AI may be able to imitate certain forms of intelligence, but it does not possess the mystery of the human person. It does not pray. It does not love. It does not suffer. It does not have a conscience. It does not stand before God. No matter how advanced the technology becomes, it remains a human-made tool.

Catholic teaching reminds us that our dignity does not come from how much information we can process, how productive we are, or how impressive our abilities may seem. Our dignity comes from being made in the image of God. That is something no technology can copy or replace.

This does not mean AI should be ignored or accepted without caution. Like any powerful tool, it requires wisdom, moral seriousness, and discernment. We should ask how it is being used, who it serves, and whether it helps or harms human flourishing.

But fear is not the right starting point. Catholics can approach AI with confidence because we already have a rich understanding of the human person. Technology may change the world around us, but it cannot change the truth at the center of our faith: every human life has a soul, a purpose, and a dignity that no machine can possess.

Andrew Gillsmith is a Catholic novelist whose work explores faith, artificial intelligence, consciousness, and what it means to be human. His book Our Lady of the Artilects releases Summer 2026. For more information visit ourladyoftheartilects.com.