Catholic technology executives and experts are urging the faithful to embrace technological leadership while establishing firm ethical limits on artificial intelligence. In the EWTN News special program “Beyond Fear: A Catholic View of Artificial Intelligence,” industry professionals gathered to discuss how AI impacts human dignity, pastoral work, and faith, framing their analysis around Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which treats AI fundamentally as a human and moral challenge.
Panelists emphasized that artificial intelligence carries immense potential for positive impact when guided by ethical principles. Joel Chakra, president of the Tim Tebow Foundation, highlighted that rapid innovation helps organizations reach vulnerable populations faster, while Sara Anderson of Pushpay explained how AI tools streamline tedious administrative tasks for parish staff, freeing priests and volunteers to dedicate more time to direct pastoral care. Writers and academics, including Arthur C. Brooks, noted that while job displacement and social disruptions are real concerns, human resourcefulness and faith provide reason for optimism if society chooses to use technology to enhance, rather than diminish, human dignity.
However, the experts issued sharp warnings regarding the technology’s potential to amplify human flaws. Vic Gundotra, a former senior vice president at Google, shared how AI assisted his own conversion to Catholicism by connecting him to the Early Church Fathers, but cautioned that the same technology can exaggerate harmful human traits and poses distinct risks for youth if left unguided by parents. Across the discussion, participants agreed that Catholics must step up into leadership and innovation roles rather than remaining on the sidelines, helping shape policies, frameworks, and boundaries to ensure digital tools serve humanity rather than replace it.