Friar Paolo Benanti, a member of the Franciscan order, is focused on the important task of regulating artificial intelligence in a way that benefits people and does not harm them.

Benanti is the Vatican’s go-to person on the technology and he has the ear of Pope Francis as well as some of Silicon Valley’s top engineers and executives.

Having a degree in engineering and a doctorate in moral theology, the 50-year-old Italian priest is deeply committed to what he refers to as the “ethics of technology.” He shares this sense of urgency with Francis, who advocated for an international treaty in his 2024 peace message to promote the responsible use of AI technology.

During a recent interview with The Associated Press, Benanti, a professor at Pontifical Gregorian University, posed the question: How does a man, who simply exists, differ from a machine that solely functions? He believes this is one of the most significant inquiries of our era, as technology continues to blur the line between human and machine. As a teacher of moral theology and bioethics to future priests, he sees this as a pressing issue in today’s world.

Benanti is part of the United Nations’ Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence and serves as the leader of an Italian government panel responsible for suggesting measures to protect journalism from false information and other forms of disinformation. He also advises the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life.

Benanti assists in “further explaining the technical terminology to the Holy Father” during their interactions. His expertise was useful for a 2023 conference at the Vatican between Francis and Microsoft’s President Brad Smith, which centered on the potential impact of AI on humanity.

According to the Vatican, Francis and Smith previously talked about the use of artificial intelligence for the betterment of society. With a papacy that prioritizes those on the fringes of society, Francis has expressed worry that AI could potentially infringe on human rights, such as affecting a person’s ability to secure a mortgage, seek asylum, or be assessed for recidivism.

“It is evident that selecting inadequate data will result in non-inclusive choices,” stated Benanti, a member of a religious group founded in the 13th century by St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis renounced wealth and advocated for charitable deeds.

Microsoft first reached out to Benanti several years ago for his thoughts on technology, the friar said. In 2023, Smith did a podcast with Benanti in Rome, describing the friar as bringing “one of the most fascinating combinations in the world” in terms of his background in engineering, ethics and technology, to the AI debate.

Benanti, who was almost finished with his engineering degree at Sapienza University in Rome, made the decision to leave the program and his girlfriend in his twenties to become a Franciscan. He explained the potential of AI to be a valuable resource in reducing the expense of healthcare and enabling physicians to assist a larger number of individuals.

He also discussed the moral considerations of a technology that may possess similar or even greater abilities as a human.

“The issue lies not in the utilization of AI, but rather in its governance,” stated the friar. “This is where ethics play a role – determining the appropriate level of implementation within a societal framework.”

Benanti observed that a significant portion of the information that contributes to AI is supplied by underpaid laborers, often located in developing nations with a long history of colonialism and a workforce that is taken advantage of.

“I hope this season will not be remembered as one where we exploit the intellectual abilities of the global South,” he stated. When looking at the top AI tools being developed in the Western world, it becomes apparent that they are being trained by underpaid workers from former English-speaking colonies.”

The regulation of AI is a topic that many countries around the world are attempting to address. In late 2020, the European Union took a leading role by reaching an agreement that allows for the implementation of legal supervision of AI technology.

Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, is concerned about the potential for AI to result in unemployment and plans to prioritize discussions on this technology during the upcoming G-7 summit held in Italy. In line with this goal, Meloni met with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in Rome on Thursday, with Benanti present at the meeting as well.

According to the friar, controlling artificial intelligence should not restrict its progress.

According to Benanti, this entails ensuring that they are in line with the delicate structure of democracy, which is currently considered the most effective system.

Source: wral.com