Will AI marginalize the faithful? Catholics call for ethical oversight

BRUSSELS — Catholic and faith-based organizations risk being marginalized as artificial intelligence governance becomes dominated by technical and commercial interests, Church-linked leaders warned at a recent dialogue in the European capital.

The warning came at an “Ethics of AI” dialogue organized by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and European Future Talks earlier this month, as regulatory gaps and a wave of AI-related controversies underscore the urgency of faith-based engagement.

High-risk AI and ethical stakes

Friederike Ladenburger, COMECE adviser on ethics, research, and health, told EWTN News that faith-based organizations face a growing risk of exclusion as EU AI implementation discussions narrow around technical expertise.

“Marginalization risk exists when guidance is shaped primarily by technical, commercial, and regulatory actors,” she said, adding that continued engagement by religious stakeholders helps preserve a value-based approach.

The EU AI Act classifies AI systems as high risk where they pose threats to safety or fundamental rights in areas such as employment, migration, and health care.

Spotlighting health care, Ladenburger noted that AI systems used in diagnosis, treatment decisions, or patient triage can directly influence access to care, while failures in clinical decision-support tools or robotic surgery systems could result in serious injury or death.

The act already bans certain applications outright, including social scoring, AI-driven emotion recognition in workplaces and schools, and most uses of real-time biometric identification in public spaces.

These warnings come amid growing scrutiny of AI systems globally.

Earlier this month, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission opened a formal investigation into X’s AI chatbot Grok over allegations that it generated harmful sexualized deepfake imagery, including material involving minors. French prosecutors also raided the company’s Paris offices as part of a cybercrime investigation linked to similar allegations.

Last week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a U.S. civil trial examining whether social media platforms contribute to harm among children, including algorithm-driven engagement systems.

Professor Philip McDonagh, director of Dublin City University’s Centre for Religion, Human Values, and International Relations, told EWTN News that recent investigations highlight the ethical stakes surrounding AI governance and the need for broader moral reflection drawing on religious as well as technical expertise.

“Faith groups reach an estimated 84% of the global population through trusted networks. Their underrepresentation risks widening gaps in ethical oversight and AI literacy,” he said.

Ongoing dialogue beyond regulation

Faith leaders, including Catholics through the COMECE, stress the need for ongoing dialogue on high-risk AI systems.

“This is especially true,” Ladenburger said, “given the lack of clear European Commission guidance on managing ‘high-risk’ AI systems under the act.”

The concern comes as the commission missed its February deadline to publish implementation guidelines required before enforcement can begin.

McDonagh cautioned that the challenge extends beyond regulatory guidance, warning that legal frameworks alone may not fully address AI’s societal impact.

“The act addresses structural challenges, but guidance without continuous dialogue is insufficient. We need sustained reflection on human dignity, democracy, and peace,” he said.

He pointed to Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which enables dialogue between EU institutions and churches, as a potential avenue for continued engagement.

Article 17 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union. | Credit: Official Journal of the European Union/Screenshot

Human-centric AI ethics

McDonagh, a poet and former diplomat who has also served as Ireland’s ambassador to the Holy See, India, and Russia, highlighted parallels between Vatican ethical guidance and the MANAV vision for AI unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during last week’s AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.

“The concept of MANAV, which means ‘human’ in Hindi, promotes faith-informed ethics and urges AI to support rather than replace human decision-making,” he said.

“This aligns with Vatican initiatives such as the Pontifical Academy for Life‘s Rome Call for AI Ethics (‘algorethics‘) and Antiqua et Nova, the joint note on AI and human intelligence issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Culture and Education, which emphasize a human-centered approach to technology.”

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The bishops have examined artificial intelligence’s role in Church ministry, with leaders emphasizing that digital tools must lead people to authentic relationships.

Highlighting high-risk areas such as military technologies and algorithmic manipulation of political discourse, he added: “The ethical dimension is not optional; it is central to whether AI serves humanity or undermines human dignity.”