Like paper, print, steel and the wheel, computer-generated artificial intelligence is a revolutionary technology that can bend how we work, play and love. It is already doing so in ways we can and cannot perceive. As Facebook, Apple and Google pour billions into A.I. development, there is a fledgling branch of academic ethical study—influenced by Read more
The Roman Catholic Church has joined up with IBM and Microsoft to work on the ethics of artificial intelligence. Leaders from the two tech giants met senior church officials in Rome, and agreed to collaborate on “human-centred” ways of designing AI. Microsoft president Brad Smith admitted some people may “think of us as strange bedfellows” Read more
The Michigan-based company Covenant Eyes markets itself to Christians who want to stop viewing pornography. Its software takes screenshots of a user’s screen activity, uses A.I. to scan it for pornographic imagery, and then sends regular reports to the user and a designated “ally” who has agreed to hold him accountable. The company’s name comes Read more
Pope Francis is urging Silicon Valley giants to be careful when they’re developing new technologies. He’s not alone in his concern. Tech leaders like Elon Musk and Bill Gates are also taking a second look and reporting their concerns. Speaking at a Vatican conference on technology last week, Francis told his audience to make sure Read more
A Roman Catholic theologian who is a Franciscan sister has claimed that “gender-neutral” robotic priests could help make the Church less patriarchal and tackle its sexual abuse crisis. Ilia Delio, who holds a chair in theology at Villanova University, Pennsylvania, said that robots could excel in ways that human priests might not. Read more
Seniors in search of some high-tech companionship may find comfort in a small robot that can listen to them and read relevant scripture. SanTO is a foot-and-a-half tall robot resembles the sort of altar or figurine a Catholic may use to decorate their home. But it’s equipped with software it uses to listen to people, scan their faces Read more
Microsoft’s President Brad Smith met Pope Francis on Wednesday to discuss the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI). He also discussed ways to bridge the digital divide between rich and poor nations. Read more
Henry Kissinger, ‘historian and occasional practising statesman,’ has flagged concerns about the effect digital technology is having on humanity. He says “for all its achievements, it runs the risk of turning on itself as its impositions overwhelm its conveniences. “Beyond factual questions (“What is the temperature outside?”), questions about the nature of reality or the Read more
In Japan, a plastic moulding company called Nissei Eco is planning to introduce SoftBank’s Pepper robot as a cheaper substitute for human priests reading sutras at Buddhist funerals. Pepper is the first humanoid robot capable of recognising the principal human emotions and adapting his behaviour to the mood of his interlocutor. Continue reading
SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk got into a spat recently on Twitter with Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg over the dangers of artificial intelligence. Musk urged a group of governors to proactively regulate AI, which he views as a “fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization.” “Until people see robots going down the street killing people, they Read more