Antiqua et Nova: Catholic Perspectives on Artificial and Human Intelligence, Freedom, and Agency

Society’s growing reliance on artificial intelligence, along with rapidly improving AI autonomy and decision-making abilities, raises theological and ethical questions concerning agency and accountability. The recent Vatican document Antiqua et Nova, a Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence, examines the anthropological and ethical challenges AI introduces regarding human and artificial intelligence, freedom, and agency. Antiqua et Nova then proposes the concept of relational intelligence, a holistic framework that acknowledges AI technological capabilities as well as humanity’s communal nature. By combining AI and human strengths, relational intelligence encourages cooperative, collaborative human-AI relationships that respect human dignity and contribute to the common good. Hence, Antiqua et Nova and relational intelligence provide theological perspectives on artificial and human intelligence, augment secular ethical views with religious notions of human freedom, and clarify the notion of moral agency within an increasingly technological world.