Earlier this week, some US commentators suggested that Pope Leo XIV’s recent 43,000-word encyclical – a kind of pastoral letter – focusing on the challenges posed by artificial intelligence was somehow beyond the scope of the pontiff’s responsibilities.
This criticism failed to appreciate the Catholic leader’s long-term interest in the subject; in May, the Pope said AI development, and the worries accompanying it, were in part an inspiration behind his choice of name, with Pope Leo XIII having addressed “the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution”.
There is no doubt that the rapid development and adoption of AI is a phenomenon comparable to the Industrial Revolution. New technologies are spurring scientific discoveries, revolutionising education and automating complex processes. At the same time, it is disrupting the job market, powering misinformation and developing at a rate faster than some regulators’ ability to control it. This final point formed the basis of Pope Leo’s call for “robust legal frameworks, independent oversight, informed users and a political system that does not abdicate its responsibility”.
Calls for human-centred AI align in many ways with the UAE’s own ethics frameworks for its use. In September 2024, the Emirates – an early adopter of this technology – published its International Stance on Artificial Intelligence Policy that, among other things, sought to “preserve human values and ensure fair and safe treatment for all members of society”. This was preceded by the Charter for the Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence in June that year and the UAE’s AI Ethics Principles and Guidelines published in December 2022.
Such rigorous guidelines are important when dealing with a technology that is so varied in its applications. This week, The National reported how some young adults in the UAE and the wider region are turning to AI to reflect, regulate and make sense of their emotions. Some described speaking to chatbots as a way of exploring therapy options or to continue the work they had already done with a human therapist.
The young people who spoke to The National were using the tools available to them to find solutions to their problems. However, AI’s potential benefits have to be balanced against its potential drawbacks. In this case, when used alongside therapy, or as a temporary space to reflect, AI-powered tools can help some young people articulate feelings and decide what to do next. Used in isolation, it can blur the line between support and avoidance.
It is this duality that lies at the heart of the debate surrounding AI. A growing number of people around the world favour thorough regulation and restriction. Indeed, several countries are considering banning young people from accessing generative-AI tools, powerful chatbots and certain social media platforms. For its part, the UAE has already taken steps to safeguard young people especially, having in December issued a federal decree law to protect children from online risk.
Indeed, the UAE has been aware of AI's potential for many years. Speaking in 2021, Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, compared the technology to nuclear energy and cautioned that society "cannot afford to be reactive" in the face of such power. "The world needs to come together and have a conversation about this," he added.
Certainly, dialogue and knowledge sharing are the best ways to strike the right balance towards AI, helping society to recognise that we all have a responsibility to make technology safe and beneficial. From big tech, legislators and global religious figures to parents and teachers, all have a part to play in shaping the AI conversation.
