Tuesday, May 26, 2026

The Pope and (A)I

It’s unusual when I choose what the Pope says to be the  top story on my list of headlines, but Pope Leo’s comments on AI are a worthy exception to that rule.

The Pope showed that he understands the risks as well as the positive potential of AI in his statement. If I am reading him right, he’s recommending the kind of intelligent regulation of the risks that can evolve along with the technology, and consistent with our understanding of that evolution.

You might call it the beginning of a “regulatory dance.”

It won’t do to simply ban AI or to set it free like Section 230 did with the Internet. The preferred approach would be more like that we’ve achieved with nuclear technology, which is not been perfect but largely effective at preventing the worst outcomes.

I can identify with this on a personal level as it is similar to how my medical team is trying to help me manage my own chronic illness. As the illness progresses, our strategy evolves, seeking to keep it in check, one dance move at a time.

A benefit of this strategy is that I can keep on dancing, i.e., sorting the news and writing essays like this one.☺️

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