Who am I in times of AI?

Reflection upon Magnifica Humanitas.

On safeguarding the human person
in the time of Artificial Intelligence

In recent years, it has become increasingly evident how rapidly and profoundly digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are transforming our world. (…) we find ourselves facing a new situation. The power and prevalence of emerging technologies are interwoven into the fabric of daily life, shaping decision-making processes and deeply affecting the collective imagination: ‘Never has humanity had such power over itself.’ (…) For this reason it is necessary to begin a shared discernment process for identifying the spiritual and cultural roots of ongoing transformations. (…) Crucial questions impose themselves on our conscience and can no longer be avoided: Where are we going? Toward what goal do we wish to orient ourselves? What direction should we choose as a people and as a human community?

I address this heartfelt appeal to all the Catholic faithful, to all Christians and to all men and women of goodwill. Let us not be afraid to get our hands dirty on the “construction site” of our time.

These are the introductory words of the Enciclical Letter of Pope Leo XIV, published on 15^th May, 2026. We would like to take him up on his invite and gather together in reflection about our relationship with technology as Christians, guided by his Letter.

We will start on Wednesdays, 7^th October at 19.00 in St. Augustinus ‘Pope Leo XIV’ (next to the Coffee and Tea room). We will meet biweekly every Wednesday, (so every two weeks). We will address one chapter every meeting. It is advised to read the chapters in advance to be able to be guided by the Holy Father’s words in our discussion.

You can find the text of the Letter here.

Moreover, here you can find the presentation of the Letter, and I strongly advise you to listen to the words of Christopher Olah, the co-founder of Anthropic, who was among the invited speakers (minutes 49-56). His brief talk may be helpful to situate our discussion within its societal relevance.

Absolutely no prior knowledge is expected! This is all about our faith and how we deal with technology every day.

Hope to see you there!