Carlo Acutis and the Algorithmic Society

By Jason Scott – With the canonisation of Carlo Acutis on Sunday, September 7, the Church celebrates a young man who turned the Internet into a tool for evangelisation.

His canonisation, alongside that of Pier Giorgio Frassati, challenges us to navigate the digital world with faith. In an algorithmic society where technology shapes truth and power concentrates among elites, Acutis’ example calls us to sanctify the internet for God’s glory, resisting its perils through wisdom and action.

As Pope Leo XIV has stated on several occasions, we are living through a second industrial revolution and its consequences. In his June 17 address to the second annual conference on Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Corporate Governance, he declared: “AI is above all else a tool… Access to data, however extensive, must not be confused with intelligence, which necessarily ‘involves the person’s openness to the ultimate questions of life and reflects an orientation toward the True and the Good’,” referring to “Antiqua et Nova”, a doctrinal note of the Catholic Church co-issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Culture and Education in January 2025.

The Internet amplifies human intent, much like AI. It enables virtual pilgrimages and platforms for studying doctrine remotely. Digital tools aid architects in design and provide accessibility for the impaired, serving the marginalised. Yet it also presents dangers. As Pope Leo reminds us, “tools point to the human intelligence that crafted them and draw much of their ethical force from the intentions of the individuals that wield them”.

Image generators craft fake visuals, spreading deception that sways opinions or and even mocks faith. Voice synthesis creates deepfakes, and fabricated papal speeches erode trust. Data analysis processes vast datasets, from social media to GPS-tracking to finance, fuelling healthcare and logistics but enabling surveillance by firms like Palantir Technologies. Meanwhile, Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel has sparked unease with his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, as well as his fixation on the “Antichrist”.

In a crisis, many people retreat to the primary source of their social identity and prepare to defend it. They don’t do this consciously, but they do it nevertheless. When we remain passive in the face of digital distortions, we allow unfiltered algorithms to shape our beliefs.

Pope Paul VI in his 1971 document Octogesima Adveniens challenged lay Catholics to act without waiting passively for direction, warning that words alone are empty unless accompanied by effective action. St Carlo Acutis offers a vivid counter-example of how a faithful response can reclaim technology for good.

St Carlo offers us more than a story of youthful piety. His story issues a summons to stop dwelling in silent alarm and begin acting with purpose. Our choices matter, whether through exposing digital deception, apologetics, crafting thoughtful reflections, or pausing to pray before sharing something online.

The Internet is not merely a platform but in many ways also a moral battlefield. May we tend it with courage, clarity and holiness. Let us not remain spectators but become faithful participants in the age in which we are called to serve.

Jason Scott writes from Cape Town.