Pope Francis addresses the Pontifical Academy for Life

The topic of this year's annual assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life was, 'Roboethics: Humans, Machines and Health'. The Assembly, took place from 25 to 27 February in the Vatican's New Synod Hall. The Academy was created 25 years ago by Pope John Paul II in response to rapid changes in biomedicine, and it regularly explores a range of issues with moral implications, linking respect for human life with human solidarity and respect for creation.

For the opening of the meeting, Pope Francis presented a letter, in which he outlined the paradox of "progress" and cautioned against developing technologies without first thinking of the possible costs to society. He emphasised the need to study new technologies: communication technologies, nanotechnologies, biotechnologies and robotics. However, "there is a pressing need, then, to understand these epochal changes and new frontiers in order to determine how to place them at the service of the human person, while respecting and promoting the intrinsic dignity of all," Pope Francis wrote.

One presentation at the assembly was by Japanese robotics expert, Hiroshi Ishiguro, who wants to develop robots which, in conversation, can convince others that they are talking with another human being. Other speakers talked about giving robots the routine and repetitive tasks of an industrialised society, allowing humans to devote themselves to more interesting and creative activities. Ishiguro sees robots becoming people's companions, caretakers and even romantic partners. Current experiments include the use of robots to converse with elderly people in nursing homes, and even to "keep company" with patients who are close to death. In one video, a robotic device stroked the arm of a dying woman, assuring her that "your family loves you very much".

The gathering asked such questions as: what becomes of our humanity when the repetitive and unwanted tasks we hand over to machines is the task of taking care of each other? The Academy suggests that we need to think about these questions now. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, commented, "This dream is a terrible dream".

A year ago, Pope Francis called for automation growth to be underpinned by continued respect for all workers. In a speech read at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos in 2018, he urged: "Artificial intelligence, robotics and other technological innovations must be so employed that they contribute to the service of humanity and to the protection of our common home, rather than to the contrary." In December 2018, a report by global management consultants McKinsey predicted that 800 million workers - that's more than a fifth of the global labour force - might lose their jobs because of automation. The report assessed workers in 46 nations and more than 800 job types.

Full address of Pope Francis to the Pontifical Academy for Life's Plenary Assembly 2019:

https://zenit.org/articles/pope-francis-address-to-pontifical-academy-for-lifes-plenary-assembly-for-25th-anniversary-full-text/

Tags: Pope Francis, Robots, Pontifical Academy for Life, Hiroshi Ishiguro, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia

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