Portugal: Constitutional revision and AI ethics debated

The Catholic University of Portugal (UCP) is hosting a debate titled ‘ColloquIA’ to discuss the ethical, legal, and social challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence. Using Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ as a foundation, the interdisciplinary event aims to explore how to safeguard human dignity and autonomy in an era of increasing automation and intelligent decision-making systems.

Separately, Portuguese Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel has advocated for an immediate constitutional revision. Speaking at the Catholic University of Porto, Rangel noted that the current text acts as an obstacle to resolving certain issues. He suggested that emerging technologies, specifically Artificial Intelligence, could serve as a justification for such a revision. Rangel also addressed the current state of party fragmentation in Europe, noting that the current political landscape may allow for constitutional changes without the participation of the Socialist Party, provided a two-thirds majority is met.