We Will Regret Not Standing Up to This Venomous Cruelty; The New York Times, July 14, 2025

Linda Greenhouse, The New York Times ; We Will Regret Not Standing Up to This Venomous Cruelty

"Something beyond the raw politics of immigration lies behind the venomous cruelty on display, and I think it is this: To everyone involved, from the policymakers in Washington to the masked agents on the street, undocumented individuals are “the other,” people who not only lack legal rights as a formal matter but who stand outside the web of connection that defines human society. Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s border czar, refers to undocumented immigrants as “the gotaways,” the ones we didn’t catch.

In a lecture at Loyola University Chicago in April, Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso observed that the current immigration crisis “is driven by the deeper crisis of public and social life.” He continued: “On a fundamental level, these are signs that we are losing the story of who we are as a country. This is a crisis of narrative. Are we no longer a country of immigrants? Are we no longer a country that values the dignity of the human person, individual liberties, and with a healthy regard for checks and balances?”

An adaptation of Bishop Seitz’s powerful lecture was published bythe Catholic magazine Commonweal, which is where I read it. (Another bishop, Alberto Rojas of San Bernardino, Calif., 60 miles east of Los Angeles, took the rare step of telling the 1.6 million worshipers in the diocese by letter last week that they were excused from attending Mass if they were afraid of immigration enforcement if they came to church.) The Catholic Church has distinguished itself by the moral clarity of its critique of the president’s deportation obsession...

I’ve been wondering when the moment will come when ICE will go far enough to persuade more people outside Los Angeles that it must be reined in. Maybe it will look something like the military invasion of the city’s MacArthur Park the other day, when soldiers and federal agents on horseback and in armored vehicles swept in for no obvious purpose other than to sow terror. “It’s the way a city looks before a coup,” Mayor Karen Bass, who rushed to the park, said later.

Can New Yorkers envision such a scene in Central Park? Is anywhere safe now for someone who can’t show the right papers?

People of a certain age might remember the songwriter Jimmy Webb’s weirdly compelling “MacArthur Park,” with its refrain that begins, “MacArthur’s Park is melting in the dark.” Growing up in the east, I had never heard of MacArthur Park when the song hit the charts in 1968, and I wasn’t sure it was a real place. All these years later, something real is melting for sure. It is the glue that holds civil society together."

How the Vatican Is Shaping the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence; American Enterprise Institute, July 7, 2025

Shane Tews , American Enterprise Institute; How the Vatican Is Shaping the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

"Father Paolo Benanti is an Italian Catholic priest, theologian, and member of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis. He teaches at the Pontifical Gregorian University and has served as an advisor to both former Pope Francis and current Pope Leo on matters of artificial intelligence and technology ethics within the Vatican.

Below is a lightly edited and abridged transcript of our discussion...

In the Vatican document, you emphasize that AI is just a tool—an elegant one, but it shouldn’t control our thinking or replace human relationships. You mention it “requires careful ethical consideration for human dignity and common good.” How do we identify that human dignity point, and what mechanisms can alert us when we’re straying from it?

I’ll try to give a concise answer, but don’t forget that this is a complex element with many different applications, so you can’t reduce it to one answer. But the first element—one of the core elements of human dignity—is the ability to self-determine our trajectory in life. I think that’s the core element, for example, in the Declaration of Independence. All humans have rights, but you have the right to the pursuit of happiness. This could be the first description of human rights.

In that direction, we could have a problem with this kind of system because one of the first and most relevant elements of AI, from an engineering perspective, is its prediction capabilities.Every time a streaming platform suggests what you can watch next, it’s changing the number of people using the platform or the online selling system. This idea that interaction between human beings and machines can produce behavior is something that could interfere with our quality of life and pursuit of happiness. This is something that needs to be discussed.

Now, the problem is: don’t we have a cognitive right to know if we have a system acting in that way? Let me give you some numbers. When you’re 65, you’re probably taking three different drugs per day. When you reach 68 to 70, you probably have one chronic disease. Chronic diseases depend on how well you stick to therapy. Think about the debate around insulin and diabetes. If you forget to take your medication, your quality of life deteriorates significantly. Imagine using this system to help people stick to their therapy. Is that bad? No, of course not. Or think about using it in the workplace to enhance workplace safety. Is that bad? No, of course not.

But if you apply it to your life choices—your future, where you want to live, your workplace, and things like that—that becomes much more intense. Once again, the tool could become a weapon, or the weapon could become a tool. This is why we have to ask ourselves: do we need something like a cognitive right regarding this? That you are in a relationship with a machine that has the tendency to influence your behavior.

Then you can accept it: “I have diabetes, I need something that helps me stick to insulin. Let’s go.” It’s the same thing that happens with a smartwatch when you have to close the rings. The machine is pushing you to have healthy behavior, and we accept it. Well, right now we have nothing like that framework. Should we think about something in the public space? It’s not a matter of allowing or preventing some kind of technology. It’s a matter of recognizing what it means to be human in an age of such powerful technology—just to give a small example of what you asked me."

The Pope has a message for AI executives; Quartz, June 20, 2025

Michael Barclay, Quartz; The Pope has a message for AI executives

Pope Leo wants AI to be regulated ethically, while the U.S. is poised to bar any state-level regulations for a decade

"At the Second Annual Rome Conference on Artificial Intelligence on Friday, Pope Leo talked about where AI is headed.

The event was attended by Vatican officials, American academics, and Silicon Valley executives from Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and more. The new pope urged serious reflection on “the inherently ethical dimension of AI, as well as its responsible governance...

Pope Leo said AI’s benefits and risks must be evaluated using a “superior ethical criterion,” adding that it “challenges all of us to reflect more deeply on the true nature and uniqueness of our shared human dignity.” He added that “access to data — however extensive — must not be confused with intelligence.”"

Pope Leo calls for an ethical AI framework in a message to tech execs gathering at the Vatican; CNN, June 20, 2025

Clare Duffy and Christopher Lamb, CNN ; Pope Leo calls for an ethical AI framework in a message to tech execs gathering at the Vatican

"Pope Leo XIV says tech companies developing artificial intelligence should abide by an “ethical criterion” that respects human dignity.

AI must take “into account the well-being of the human person not only materially, but also intellectually and spiritually,” the pope said in a message sent Friday to a gathering on AI attended by Vatican officials and Silicon Valley executives.

“No generation has ever had such quick access to the amount of information now available through AI,” he said. But “access to data — however extensive — must not be confused with intelligence.”

He also expressed concern about AI’s impact on children’s “intellectual and neurological development,” writing that “society’s well-being depends upon their being given the ability to develop their God-given gifts and capabilities.”

That statement from the Pope came on the second of a two-day meeting for tech leaders in Rome to discuss the societal and ethical implications of artificial intelligence. The second annual Rome Conference on AI was attended by representatives from AI leaders including Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, IBM, Meta and Palantir along with academics from Harvard and Stanford and representatives of the Holy See.

The event comes at a somewhat fraught moment for AI, with the rapidly advancing technology promising to improve worker productivity, accelerate research and eradicate disease, but also threatening to take human jobs, produce misinformation, worsen the climate crisis and create even more powerful weapons and surveillance capabilities. Some tech leaders have pushed back against regulationsintended to ensure that AI is used responsibly, which they say could hinder innovation and global competition.

“In some cases, AI has been used in positive and indeed noble ways to promote greater equality, but there is likewise the possibility of its misuse for selfish gain at the expense of others, or worse, to foment conflict and aggression,” Leo said in his Friday statement."

Ernst posts snarky reply after telling town hall ‘we all are going to die’; The Washington Post, June 1, 2025

Mariana Alfaro , The Washington Post; Ernst posts snarky reply after telling town hall ‘we all are going to die’

"While outrage at Ernst’s glib comment was immediate, on Saturday, the senator doubled down with a sarcastic response shared on Instagram.

“I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth,” she said in a video filmed in what appeared to be a cemetery. “So I apologize, and I’m really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well.”"

Meloni pledges ethical AI alliance with Pope Leo XIV; Decode39, May 15, 2025

Decode39; Meloni pledges ethical AI alliance with Pope Leo XIV

"During a call with Pope Leo XIV, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reaffirmed Italy’s collaboration with the Holy See on ethical, human-centred AI, building on initiatives from the 2024 G7 and Pope Francis’s “Rome Call for AI Ethics”

AI ethics dialogue. In a call on Thursday with Pope Leo XIV, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni renewed Italy’s commitment to collaborate with the Holy See on ethical, human-centred artificial intelligence...

Defending human dignity. Meloni also noted the new pontiff’s recent address to the College of Cardinals stressed the defence of human dignity, justice, and work in AI’s development.

Thus, Italy and the Vatican are committed to shaping AI governance to protect vulnerable communities and workers."

What do corporations need to ethically implement AI? Turns out, a philosopher; Northeastern Global News, July 26, 2024

Noah Lloyd, Northeastern Global News ; What do corporations need to ethically implement AI? Turns out, a philosopher

"As the founder of the AI Ethics Lab, Canca maintains a team of “philosophers and computer scientists, and the goal is to help industry. That means corporations as well as startups, or organizations like law enforcement or hospitals, to develop and deploy AI systems responsibly and ethically,” she says.

Canca has also worked with organizations like the World Economic Forum and Interpol.

But what does “ethical” mean when it comes to AI? That, Canca says, is exactly the point.

“A lot of the companies come to us and say, ‘Here’s a model that we are planning to use. Is this fair?’” 

But, she notes, there are “different definitions of justice, distributive justice, different definitions of fairness. They conflict with each other. It is a big theoretical question. How do we define fairness?”

"Saying that ‘We optimized this for fairness,’ means absolutely nothing until you have a working,  proper definition” — which shifts from project to project, she also notes.

Now, Canca has been named one of Mozilla’s Rise25 honorees, which recognizes individuals “leading the next wave of AI — using philanthropy, collective power, and the principles of open source to make sure the future of AI is responsible, trustworthy, inclusive and centered around human dignity,” the organization wrote in its announcement."

AI Ethics for Peace; L'Osservatore Romano, July 12, 2024

 L'Osservatore Romano; AI Ethics for Peace

"Eleven World Religions, sixteen new signatories, thirteen nations in attendance, more than 150 participants: these are some of the numbers of AI Ethics for Peace, the historic multireligious event held in Hiroshima, Japan, on 9 and 10 July...

The choice to hold this event in Hiroshima has a deeply symbolic meaning, because no other city like it bears witness to the consequences of destructive technology and the need for a lasting quest for peace.

AI Ethics for Peace, over two days, brought together the world’s major religions to underscore their crucial importance in shaping a society in which, in the face of the relentless acceleration of technology, the call for technological development that protects the dignity of each individual human being and the entire planet becomes a reality.

This will be possible only if algorethics, that is, the development and application of an ethics of artificial intelligence, becomes an indispensable element by design, i.e. from the moment of its design.

Remarkable was the talk by Father Paolo Benanti, Professor of Ethics of Technology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, who presented the Hiroshima Addendum on Generative AI. This document focuses on the need for ethical governance of generative AI — an ongoing and iterative process that requires a sustained commitment from all stakeholders so that its potential is used for the good of humanity.

The application of Rome Call principles to the reality of the tech world and the responsibility that AI producers share were witnessed by the attending big tech leaders."

Pope asks world's religions to push for ethical AI development; United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, July 10, 2024

Justin McLellan, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; Pope asks world's religions to push for ethical AI development

"Pope Francis called on representatives from the world's religions to unite behind the defense of human dignity in an age that will be defined by artificial intelligence.

"I ask you to show the world that we are united in asking for a proactive commitment to protect human dignity in this new era of machines," the pope wrote in a message to participants of a conference on AI ethics which hosted representatives from 11 world religions.

Religious leaders representing Eastern faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and Bahá'í, among others, as well as leaders of the three Abrahamic religions gathered in Hiroshima, Japan, for the conference, titled "AI Ethics for Peace." They also signed the Rome Call for AI Ethics -- a document developed by the Pontifical Academy for Life which asks signatories to promote an ethical approach to AI development."

AI & THE CHURCH SUMMIT: NAVIGATING THE ETHICAL FRONTIER; Virginia Theological Seminary, June 4, 2024

Virginia Theological Seminary; AI & THE CHURCH SUMMIT: NAVIGATING THE ETHICAL FRONTIER

"As Artificial Intelligence (AI) rapidly permeates our world, the church must grapple with its profound implications or we risk being caught behind the curve.

The AI & The Church Summit, a joint initiative of TryTank, Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will foster crucial dialogue on this pivotal issue. The summit – to be held August 12-15 in Seattle, WA—will explore AI’s potential to address global challenges while critically examining ethical dilemmas like exacerbating inequality and threats to human dignity. We simply cannot shrink from the church’s role in advocating for ethical, human-centered AI development that protects the vulnerable.

Keynote speaker Father Paolo Benanti, the Vatican’s AI ethics advisor, will guide our conversation. His extensive work with Pope Francis positions him uniquely to address the need for global AI governance serving humanity’s interests. We will also have expert engagement, reflection, and dialogue, as we delve into AI’s moral, theological, and societal impacts.

Critically, this invitation-only event seeds ongoing collaboration. Each denomination will send 15 leaders committed to sustaining momentum through monthly discussions after the summit. The AI & The Church Summit presents a pivotal opportunity to envision an ethical AI future upholding human dignity. Let us lead this frontier.

Find out more to join us here.

The Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, DMin, MBA
Chief Innovation Officer, VTS
Executive Director, TryTank Research Institute"

Fair and unfair algorithms: What to take into account when developing AI systems to fight COVID-19; JD Supra, April 17, 2020

Fabia Cairoli and Giangiacomo Olivi, JD Supra; Fair and unfair algorithms: What to take into account when developing AI systems to fight COVID-19

"The regulatory framework includes a number of sources from which to draw inspiration when developing AI technology. One of the most recent ones, the White Paper on Artificial Intelligence of the European Commission, is aimed at defining the risks associated with the implementation of AI systems, as well as determining the key features that should be implemented to ensure that data subjects’ rights are complied with (please see our articles The EU White Paper on Artificial Intelligence: the five requirements and Shaping EU regulations on Artificial Intelligence: the five improvements for a more detailed analysis).

It is worth noting that, particularly in relation to the development of AI technologies to fight the pandemic, the legislator is required to pay great attention to the principles and security systems. Risks associated to AI relate both to rights and technical functionalities. EU member states intending to use AI against COVID-19 will also need to ensure that any AI technology is ethical and is construed and operates in a safe way.

With regards to ethics, it is worth noting that the European Commission issued Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI in April 2019. Those guidelines stressed the need for AI systems to be lawful, ethical and robust (more particularly, AI should comply with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as ensure adherence to ethical principles / values and be designed in a way that does not cause unintentional harm).

With the aim of ensuring that fundamental rights are complied with, the legislator should consider whether an AI system will maintain respect for human dignity, equality, non-discrimination and solidarity. Some of these rights may be restricted for extraordinary and overriding reasons – such as fighting against a pandemic – but this should take place under specific legal provisions and only so far as is necessary to achieve the main purpose. Indeed, the use of tracking apps and systems that profile citizens in order to determine which ones may suffer from COVID-19 entails the risk that an individual’s freedom and democratic rights could be seriously restricted."

New U.N. Leader Sets Goals: Humility, Empathy, Empowering Women; NPR, 10/14/16

Malaka Gharib, NPR; New U.N. Leader Sets Goals: Humility, Empathy, Empowering Women:

"On Thursday, the U.N. General Assembly welcomed Antonio Guterres of Portugal as the new secretary-general of the U.N., replacing Ban Ki-moon.

In a short speech expressing his "gratitude and humility" to the assembly for the five-year term, he highlighted his priorities: humility, empathy for the underprivileged and the "empowerment of women and girls."...

What has made us immune to the plight of those most socially and economically underprivileged? All this makes me feel the acute responsibility to make human dignity the core of my work."