Catholic Church Grapples with AI Challenges, Emphasizing Ethical Use and Human Dignity

Portuguese bishops said artificial intelligence presents several challenges for the Catholic Church and its faithful, but they rejected the idea that new technologies should alter core evangelisation principles. They warned that “the Church is not called to flee from AI nor to kneel before it” and stressed that AI must be “an instrument, not the ultimate criterion; support, not substitution; means, not end.” The bishops called for cultural creativity, communication competence and technological responsibility, urging dioceses to develop digital literacy, ethical risk assessment and pastoral strategies to reach people in digital spaces.

A related commentary argued that AI intensifies a broader identity crisis by performing tasks once seen as uniquely human—writing, composing music, creating images, programming and translating. From a Christian perspective, the essay reminded that human worth is not defined by productivity but by being created in the image of God, citing Genesis 1:26. It highlighted that dignity persists regardless of age, ability or achievement, and that the Church’s role is to affirm this intrinsic value amid rapid technological change.