Archbishop urges responsible AI use in Catholic media

Caceres Archbishop Rex Adrew Alarcon has urged the Catholic media to be responsible in using artificial intelligence (AI).

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Alarcon made the call during the 2nd Cebu Metropolitan Catholic Mass Media Congress held on October 3.

“Almost in all aspects of our life, we use AI,” said Alarcon who chairs the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Social Communication.

“And therefore there is no other way but to engage in a responsible, effective, safe and meaningful manner, as much as we can,” urged the prelate.

Alarcon cited AI can now produce realistic words, photographs, voices and videos of things that never existed.

Because of this, he said there is a need for communicators to be more responsible in using AI.

“We need communicators who are not simply technically competent, but morally discerning; not simply creative, but responsible; not simply fast, but faithful,” the archbishop stated.

Alarcon said he recognizes that technology can serve the good.

However, the archbishop stressed that, because of the harm AI can cause, communicators should be on guard on how to use the technology.