While several industry bosses are announcing the apocalyptic potential of AI, Pope Francis has chosen not to wait for it with his arms crossed.
Is it the deepfake of him in a stylish down jacket that made the Pope take the consequences of artificial intelligence seriously? In any case, the Vatican has decided to publish a list of warnings and guidelines that it considers should be applied to AI to avoid overflows. It remains to be seen whether these will be followed by any effect.
Vatican Recommendations
If what’s left of the Papal States hasn’t been making rain or shine in Christian countries for some time now, the Vatican is trying not to be completely overwhelmed by the progress of the world and to make its voice heard there. This is how the theocracy published, in partnership with a team from Santa Clara University, a manual of good practices for AI development laboratories and the tech industry in general, called Ethics in the Age of Disruptive Technologies: An Operational Roadmap. Moreover, if the values defended in the book are obviously compatible with Catholicism, we are far from proselytism. The idea is to limit the sometimes existential risks of the development of these technologies.
At first glance, the good practices defended in the manual are centered on major principles and values, such as responsibility, transparency, or the need to respect the environment. While recalling that these ambitions were more or less consensual, the authors point out that their definitions and the levers to ensure their effectiveness differ between the entities, when they are not non-existent. This is why, behind each of these great ideas, there are dozens, even hundreds of parts and sub-parts giving clear ideas, tools and proposed solutions. Moreover, if the Catholic Church is not necessarily considered the most modern institution there is, this manual of good practices demonstrates all the same that it is not completely dropped on questions relating to security. data or generative AI.
But above all, this manual underlines the importance of asking questions as soon as a new technology is developed rather than dealing with problems as they emerge.
Will that change anything?
Although the Vatican has clearly lost its influence, it continues to meddle in world affairs from time to time, such as when the pope offered to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. It seems likely that his manual will be followed as much as this last proposal.
If the pope remains a known figure in the world, the main concerned are fully aware of the risks that his creation could generate, calling themselves to regulate it. Institutions with a little more power over their activities, such as the US Congress, are already on the case. But that in no way slows down the progress of technology. No question of ethical considerations leaving an AI lab too far behind the competition.
Finally, if ever they are believers, the leaders of the main AI laboratories, being Americans, are more likely to be Protestants, and therefore do not recognize the authority of the pope. Not sure that changes much.
Source : Gizmodo
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