May Artificial Intelligence continue to develop in such a way as to reduce inequality and injustice
Address of Sister Raffaella Petrini’, Head of the Holy See delegation to the International Telecommunication Union’s WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event 2024, held in Geneva.
There is an urgent need to outline a framework to regulate Artificial Intelligence, one developed by experts from various areas and sectors, who can assess potential developments, benefits and risks, said Sister Raffaella Petrini, General Secretary of the Governorate of Vatican City State, and head of the Holy See’s Delegation, during a ministerial round table discussion of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event 2024, on the theme: “The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Action Lines and the WSIS+20 review process”. The High-Level Event took place on Tuesday, 28 May in Geneva, Switzerland.
The General Secretary, accompanied by engineer, Antonino Intersimone, Director of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Governorate, highlighted that the new digital tools are profoundly changing many areas of our lives. However, she noted, it is important to always bear in mind that these impressive results are the result of human intelligence and its creative potential. In fact, she added, the significant progress made in new information technology, especially in the digital field, can be an opportunity to improve human existence, as long as it pursues the common good, fosters justice and harmony among peoples and deepens bonds of fraternity and solidarity in modern society. Sister Petrini pointed out that Artificial Intelligence is the most relevant of all current technological innovations.
She then recalled Pope Francis’ words in his message for the 57th World Day of Peace: “Artificial intelligence ought to serve our best human potential and our highest aspirations, not compete with them”.
Sister Pietrini explained that the Holy See Delegation was pleased to welcome the International Telecommunication Union’s commitment to promote interdisciplinary dialogue and to guarantee that ethical concerns shape the direction of new technologies in every stage of their development. These shared efforts, the General Secretary continued, are necessary to ensure that Artificial Intelligence may continue to develop as an instrument to reduce inequality and injustice, creating opportunities to promote solidarity and cooperation for present and future generations and to shape a resilient and sustainable information society.
The Forum, which was held in Geneva from 27-31 May, takes place each year and gathers various entities, including representatives of governments, members of civil society and of the private sector, universities, international organizations and technical communities. The aim of these yearly appointments is to create a network of contacts to cooperate and share ideas on reaching the Sustainable Development Goals through the Action Lines of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The Forum is hosted each year by the International Telecommunication Union, in cooperation with various UN agencies, including the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
This year’s event served as a platform for dialogue and had the aim of discussing the results that were achieved and the trends, challenges and opportunities of the Geneva Plan of Action of 2003. It marked an important step in 20 years of progress in the implementation of the results of the World Summit on the Information Society, which took place in two phases: Geneva in 2003 and Tunis in 2005.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is an organization that works to establish standards in telecommunication and to allocate the international use of the global radio spectrum and satellite orbits. It has 193 member nations, including Vatican City State and some 1,000 other members from the public and private sector, academic institutions and international telecommunication bodies.
The following is Sister Raffaella Petrini’s address:
Madam / Mr. Chair,
My Delegation is pleased to take part in this Ministerial Roundtable on “The WSIS Action Lines and the WSIS+20 review process” and thanks ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD for having co-organized this event.
While the new digital tools are changing profoundly many fields of life, including communications, public administration, education, consumption, and personal interactions, it should always be kept in mind that such impressive achievements are products of human intelligence and its creative potential.
Remarkable advances in new information technologies, especially in the digital domain, can offer opportunities for the improvement of human existence, insofar as they pursue the common good, promote justice and harmony among peoples and deepen the bonds of fraternity and solidarity in modern society.
Among all technological innovations, the most relevant is certainly Artificial Intelligence. However, in light of its promises and risks, a framework of governance for Artificial Intelligence – drawn by experts in different areas and sectors, and evaluating its possible developments, potential benefits and risks – is urgently needed.
To this end, my Delegation recommends that three aspects be considered with particular attention:
the positive impact of Artificial Intelligence depends not only on its technical design, but especially on the ultimate goals and interests of its owners, users and developers, as well as on the concrete situations in which it is employed. A positive outcome will depend on the human commitment to acting responsibly and to respect transparency, security, equity, privacy, due process, democratic principles and freedom of thought and speech.
the personal commitment of those who design algorithms and digital technologies to act responsibly must be supported by the commitment of the international Community. In this regard, I would like to recall the Holy See’s proposal for the creation of an International Agency on Artificial Intelligence to develop a normative and operational framework regarding the peaceful use of Artificial Intelligence. ([1])
the rapid expansion of technology demands education and formation on its use. We all have a duty to ensure that techno-scientific research is always directed towards the pursuit of peace and the common good, in service of the integral development of peoples and persons. The dignity of each human being and the fraternity that binds us together as members of the one human family must be the fundamental criteria for evaluating of any new technologies.
As noted by Pope Francis, “artificial intelligence ought to serve our best human potential and our highest aspirations, not compete with them”. ([2]) Therefore, my Delegation welcomes I.T.U.’s commitment to promote interdisciplinary dialogue and to ensure that ethical considerations shape the directions taken by new technologies in each phase of development, from the design of new algorithms through the phases of research, production, and distribution. These shared efforts are needed to ensure that Artificial Intelligence continues to develop as a means to reduce inequalities and injustices, creating opportunities to foster solidarity and cooperation for the present and the future generations, and to shape a resilient and sustainable information society.
Thank you.
[1] Submission of the Holy See to the 6th Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons CCW/CONF. VI/WP.3, n. 24.
[2] Pope Francis, Message for the 57th World Day of Peace, 1st January 2024.