Click the star to add/remove an item to/from your individual schedule.
You need to be logged in to avail of this functionality.
Log in
- Convenors:
-
Marco Ventura
(Università degli Studi di SIena)
Massimo LEONE (Bruno Kessler Foundation)
Send message to Convenors
- Discussant:
-
Alessandra Vitullo
(Sapienza University)
- Format:
- Panel
- Location:
- Lambda 3 room
- Sessions:
- Wednesday 6 September, -
Time zone: Europe/Vilnius
Short Abstract:
Religions address AI mostly in 2 ways: 1.they defend themselves against oppressive use of AI; or 2.they position themselves in the debate on the ethical regulation of AI.The panel explores the different approaches which position religions at the poles or at the middle gradients of this polarization.
Long Abstract:
Religious or belief organizations address artificial intelligence mostly with two approaches. On the one hand, they defend themselves against oppressive and repressive potential or real use of AI technologies: i.e., Chinese high-tech surveillance of the Uighurs community in Xinyang provides an extreme, and yet realistic and exportable example of how AI could be mobilized to the detriment of freedom of religion or belief. On the other hand, religious or belief organizations position themselves in the debate on the regulation of AI providing ethical principles which can be implemented for the sake of human-centered Artificial Intelligence - the participation of religious organizations in the consultation on the White Paper on AI of the European Union (2020) provides a clear example of this second approach.
In this polarized frame this panel aims to explore the different theoretical and practical approaches which position religious or belief communities at the extremes poles or at the middle gradients of this polarization. The panel believing that religions have a wide agency in shaping the AI technology debate (Bruno Kessler Foundation 2021) invites researchers to provide case studies where it is possible to observe the doctrinal and practical involvement of religious community in the AI debate and the level of their agency in designing, developing, or applying the AI of the future.
References
European Commission (2020), White Paper on Artificial Intelligence - A European approach to excellence and trust https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/commission-white-paper-artificial-intelligence-feb2020_en.pdf
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (2021), Shaping the AI Transformation: the Agency of Religious and Belief Actors, https://isr.fbk.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/ISR_Policy_Paper_2021.pdf
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Wednesday 6 September, 2023, -Paper short abstract:
Considering the role of AI in the defense of human rights is crucial today, to prevent new injustices against religious freedom, and to take advantage of new digital technologies so as to strengthen the protection of religious freedoms.
Paper long abstract:
Artificial intelligence, in the new forms in which it is developing thanks to the novel architecture of neural networks, is increasingly entering the daily lives of individuals, groups, communities, and institutions, conditioning them, offering new opportunities for human activities to flourish, but at the same time presenting new risks for the generation of asymmetries, inequalities, and injustices. Religion, which permeates the social life of most individuals currently living on the planet, is no exception. Not only in the industrialized and digitally advanced world, but also in all contexts reached by telematic communication, artificial intelligence is changing the way religion is experienced by human beings, triggering new modalities for spirituality, prayer, liturgy, worship, interpretation, and memory. There is no aspect of contemporary religious life that is not at least partially and at least remotely touched by the development of artificial intelligence. This, however, despite the fact that it is often presented or proposed as a sort of new neutral transcendence, is instead a product of human ingenuity, and as such absorbs, often in general unawareness, prejudices and preconceptions. The aim of this paper is not to encourage technological development, but to influence it so that it contributes to the free development of human religious sensitivities. To date, indeed, religious freedoms have had to be defended against hostile attacks by individuals, organizations, or even entire communities or state entities; increasingly, however, these attacks on religious freedoms are not only launched by human agents, but also by machines, which claim to act neutrally when in fact they often absorb human prejudices and intentions.
Paper short abstract:
I follow David Beer's advice to explore not only the social impact of the algorithm as code but more importantly the meanings and ideas about algorithms circulating in society. In this context, I look at the meanings of the power and agency of algorithms in Catholic online discourse.
Paper long abstract:
The power and causality of algorithms are - on the one hand - a code by which the society we live in is increasingly becoming a society of 'black boxes' and enigmatic technologies (Pasquale 2015), and on the other hand - which interests us more - the meanings we are willing to attribute to them. As David Beer (2017: 2) writes: "when thinking about the power of the algorithm, we (…) need to think about the powerful ways in which notions and ideas about the algorithm circulate through the social world". The extent of power, agency and control that algorithms take over us depends on how much power, agency, and control over us we are willing to give up to the algorithms - and, in the longer term, to artificial intelligence by building up an idea of their omnipotence.
In the context of ambiguous definitions of the term "algorithm", it is worth looking at how it is perceived and defined in the Catholic online discourse, especially in the context of the causality of the algorithm, as a causality that mixes human and machine causality and sits alongside divine causality and human causality. The range of meanings that are attributed to 'algorithms' is wide in the discourse: from an algorithm taken literally as a computational or scientific procedure to treating God’s work as an act that runs according to a specific algorithm.
Paper short abstract:
In this study we will present the position of the Romanian Orthodox Church regarding the use of digital tools and new technologies in the spiritual life of its faithful.
Paper long abstract:
Before the pandemic, the Church of England announced the possibility of Anglican believers to pray with Alexa, Amazon's virtual assistant. At the same time, the Catholic Church offered an e-rosary, or a smart rosary. This openness of the Church to new technologies, seems to be amazing, a very catchy upgrade for young people. Has the solution been found to bring young people closer to the Church? Even if the Romanian Orthodox Church is characterized by rigorous respect for the Christian Tradition, new technologies are very important. The Romanian Patriarchate has its own Press Trust, YouTube channels, Internet-Radio, Television, and countless periodicals that it makes known through the Internet. But what are they primarily used for? As far as prayer and technology are concerned, is the Orthodox Church open to bold projects such as those mentioned above? Does the Romanian Orthodox Church officially intend to offer young people the option of praying through artificial intelligence? In this study we will present the position of the Romanian Orthodox Church regarding the use of digital tools and new technologies in the spiritual life of its faithful. We will try to illustrate, starting from official documents, what access to the "digital continent" means for Romanian Orthodoxy. We will also try to identify the limits that the Church indicates for a judicious use of new technologies.