Aracaju Archbishop establishes AI usage rules for church communications

Archbishop Josafá Menezes da Silva of Aracaju, Brazil, has established new guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence within archdiocesan communications. The rules apply to priests, deacons, lay ministers, and the broader community of the Archdiocese of Aracaju.

Central to these guidelines is the protection of human dignity. The archbishop emphasized that technology must be guided by the well-being of individuals and society, ensuring that AI use conforms to reality and truth regarding a person’s voice, appearance, and statements.

Specific mandates include: - All AI-produced artwork must undergo human review before publication. - Content generated by AI must be clearly labeled. - A strict prohibition exists against using AI to reconstruct or simulate the voice or appearance of a bishop or priest.

The guidelines are informed by various Church documents, including the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas by Pope Leo XIV and the joint note Antiqua et Nova signed by Pope Francis, which addresses the relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence.