Vatican warns AI could lead to ‘social control’

The Vatican on Wednesday warned artificial intelligence could lead to “social control” and “manipulation” and called for more focus on human relationships to counter the dehumanising effects of digital technology.

In a wide-ranging document with the Latin title “Quo Vadis, Humanitas?” (Whither Humanity?), the Vatican’s International Theology Commission said humanity was faced with “never before imagined risks” from tech.

“Today we are witnessing a loss of the sense of history and a reduction of experience to the fleeting moment,” the document said.