By Charles Igwe
The Archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the Anglican Communion, Justin Welby, signed the “Rome Appeal to the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence” on Tuesday, April 30, at a ceremony held at the Vatican. This significant document aims to foster a shared sense of responsibility for human dignity amid rapid technological advancements. It emphasizes the need for cooperation among religions, international organizations, governments, institutions, and the private sector to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their background, can benefit from these advances.
The appeal calls for the ethical development of artificial intelligence that serves humanity rather than profit and resists the gradual replacement of people in the workplace. It also stresses the importance of respecting our common home. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life and the RenAIssance Foundation, expressed his pleasure at the inclusion of the Anglican community in this initiative. He noted that such collaboration could lead to effective solutions for building peace and promoting the common good.
Archbishop Justin Welby, representing the Church of England, expressed his support for the Rome AI Call. He highlighted the importance of emphasizing human dignity amid technological change and preparing for rapid developments in science and technology. He stressed that AI offers enormous potential for improving human capabilities but must also protect and cherish human dignity. Archbishop Welby emphasized that the advances offered by AI should benefit all people and serve the common good, the climate, and sustainable development. He called for ensuring that the dignity of every human being, created by God, remains central to all technological advancements.
Father Paolo Benanti, Extraordinary Professor of Ethics of Technology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and scientific director of the RenAIssance Foundation, also welcomed the event. He emphasized the importance of integrating an ethical approach to artificial intelligence, transforming innovation into human development. He highlighted the significance of the wisdom represented by religions in addressing contemporary challenges.
The ceremony took place at the headquarters of the Pontifical Academy for Life. Since the launch of the Rome Call in February 2020, many stakeholders have signed the document, including representatives from the Abrahamic religions, the Italian government, and major tech companies such as Microsoft, IBM, and Cisco.
