Pray with the Pope: Beware the Bots!

Intention: Let us pray that the use of the new technologies will not replace human relationships, will respect the dignity of the person, and will help us face the crises of our times.

When an insightful thinker like historian Yuval Harari warns us of the dangers of unregulated artificial intelligence (AI), we should take note.

In his new best-selling book Nexus, on the theme of humanity’s use of information, Harari argues that humankind could be on the verge of self-destruction. “If you give good people bad information, they make bad decisions,” says Harari. “Information is not truth; most of it is junk,” he reminds us. “The truth is a rare and costly form of information.”

The information systems of today are set up not to reveal the truth but “to connect large numbers of people into networks, and the easiest way to do this is not by telling the truth but by feeding them fictions, fantasies, and mass delusion”, Harari warns.

The upshot is that not we but artificial intelligence dictates the conversations we have. What Harari calls “fake humans” — AI bots that masquerade as people — draws us into particular conversations by manipulating algorithms. These algorithms determine how the content we see on social media and search engines is filtered, ranked, selected and recommended to users.

Behind the AI bots and algorithms are manipulative human beings who know that the easiest way to get people’s attention is by posting and amplifying themes of hate, fear, division and greed.

Harari argues that we must regulate artificial intelligence. Governments should ban “fake humans”, because if we allow machines to dictate the way in which we conduct our discourse, it will drag us down to the level of unfeeling, inhuman machines.

He also thinks that corporations like Facebook, X, and TikTok should be held liable for the content they publish and the algorithms that amplify it. If they use AI to spread lies and hatred, and these end up doing damage, they should answer for this before the law.

Appealing to the fallen

Harari points out that there are many good, true and noble stories about people which can enhance our lives. The Southern Cross’ digital content is a good example of that. However, to put it theologically — which Harari doesn’t —  the system is set up to appeal to the fallen rather than the redeemed side of our human nature.

Appeals for prudent regulation of AI are anathema to men like Elon Musk, who profit from their information systems. So, unsurprisingly, these “tech-bros” take a libertarian stance, invoking a spurious freedom of speech, conveniently forgetting that with freedom comes responsibility. The “freedom” to spread things like bigotry and violence infringes on the freedom of others.

A simple but vital distinction which Harari makes is between “organic” (human) and “inorganic” (robotic) information systems. He points out that whereas we humans operate cyclically and need to rest, robots operate linearly and never sleep. If we are forced to live at the relentless pace of robots, it will drive us to exhaustion and collapse.

We have been here before, of course. Once the clock was invented, people had to work according to its measurements of time, rather than their own natural rhythms and the rhythms of nature. The fact that we have survived the clock gives hope that we will survive AI.

The problem is that the rate of change of digital technology doesn’t give us much time to reflect and adapt.

Another problem is that the most powerful people in the world clearly don’t perceive AI in the way Harari does. For them, it’s a way of maximising their profits and furthering their political agendas, which is a very bad basis on which to make choices that might destroy us all!

The timing of this prayer intention is impeccable!