In a significant development for the intersection of technology and faith, AI and Faith submitted a comprehensive response to the UN AI Advisory Body’s call for input in March 2024, contributing to their final report released this past month (link here). The UN’s Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, tasked with developing recommendations for international AI governance, sought diverse perspectives to inform their work. AI and Faith’s response stood out by emphasizing the vital role that faith traditions can play in addressing the complex ethical and social challenges posed by AI.
Our submission discuss many broad topics, including:
- The value of including a wide array of faith perspectives in AI governance discussions. We emphasized that faith traditions offer unique insights into human values, beliefs, and practices that are essential for developing comprehensive and inclusive AI governance frameworks.
- The importance of developing shared values across different faith traditions. Rather than focusing on metaphysical differences, we stressed the practical need for finding common ground in the context of global AI adoption.
The UN’s final report provides a roadmap for international AI governance. It emphasizes the need for inclusive dialogue and consideration of diverse cultural and ethical perspectives in developing AI policies. While somewhat broad, it offers exciting opportunities for future development and engagement.
In a further important development, we’re thrilled to welcome Father Paolo Benanti, a distinguished member of the UN AI Advisory Body and a key advisor at the Vatican on AI, into our community of AI and Faith experts as an Advisor. Father Benanti’s expertise and insights will undoubtedly enrich our organization’s efforts and further strengthen the bridge between faith perspectives and AI governance. As AI continues to transform our world, AI and Faith remains committed to ensuring that faith traditions have a seat at the table in these crucial discussions. We encourage our experts and members to read the full UN report and consider how we can continue to contribute to this important global dialogue.
Stay tuned for more updates on our ongoing work at the intersection of AI, ethics, and faith traditions, including future collaborations with Father Benanti and other leading voices in this field.
