Asian Bishops Convene in Hong Kong to Draft AI Ethics Guidelines for Catholic Media and Ministry
A three-day meeting held in Hong Kong has brought together bishops and communications officials from across Asia to draft ethics guidelines addressing the use of artificial intelligence in ministry and Catholic media. The gathering was hosted by St. Francis University and aims to produce a set of draft guidelines for dioceses throughout Asia, which will be circulated for formal approval following the meeting.
Cardinal Stephen Chow described artificial intelligence as a gift from God, encouraging a cautious yet confident approach to its use, rather than one of fear. This initiative aligns with the Vatican’s ongoing efforts to oversee AI, following warnings from Pope Francis about the dangers of deepfakes and algorithmic bias. Additionally, Pope Leo XIV has emphasized concerns about the ethical and spiritual weight technology carries.
Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for Communications, highlighted the importance of ensuring that AI does not replace human judgment. This event marks the first formal attempt by a major faith tradition in Asia to directly address AI governance.
The initiative reflects a growing urgency within the Catholic Church to confront and manage the ethical and practical challenges posed by artificial intelligence in fields such as ministry, education, and media communications.
