Vatican Official Calls AI “Attempt to Escape Human Vulnerability,” Urges Caution Against Simulation

At the ongoing FABC Bishops’ Meet in Hong Kong, Dr. Nataša Govekar, Theological-Pastoral Director of the Dicastery for Communication, delivered a major reflection titled “Guiding Principles for Using AI in Evangelization and Pastoral Care.” Speaking on December 11, the second day of the three-day gathering on “Artificial Intelligence and Pastoral Challenges in Asia,” she drew attention to the greater anthropological question raised by the rise of AI: “What does it mean to be human today?”

On the Journey

Dr. Govekar began by suggesting that the word “Towards” be added to the topic, noting, “I do not have guiding principles yet.” 

She invited the bishops to begin with their own experience of AI technologies and noted how quickly such tools have entered daily life and even spiritual spaces. From large language models like those of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Meta, DeepSeek to apps that simulate religious conversation, she pointed out that many people are now turning to systems like ChatWithGod.ai, which allow users to “talk to” the Christian God or other religious figures, creating what she called “a religious supermarket.”

Catholic AI Initiatives 

Dr. Govekar said it was understandable that Catholics might feel more at ease with explicitly Catholic AI initiatives. She cited Truthly, which claims to base all responses on authoritative Church sources, and the widely used Magisterium AI, described by its founder as a disciplined “digital librarian.” Drawing on a database of over 29,000 magisterial and theological documents, the tool cites its sources rather than generating unsupported statements. Its associated Alexandria Digitization Hub aims to expand the Catholic dataset.

She highlighted one important reminder from Magisterium AI’s developers: such tools must aid understanding, not replace the indispensable human dimensions of faith. “Always prioritize engaging with the Sacraments,” consulting real people, and reading primary sources, she quoted, noting her appreciation for this emphasis.

Turning to broader experiments, she noted the presence of an “AI Jesus” in Switzerland and an experimental liturgy in Germany with real-time generated prayers. These show how “technology has entered the most symbolic and intimate religious spaces,” she said.

AI-Generated Homilies and Images

Dr. Govekar cautioned against AI-generated homilies, insisting that preaching is an extension of proclaiming the Word of God, and “AI cannot and should not substitute” a minister’s personal relationship with Scripture.

Likewise, she warned against creating “real-life” images of Jesus or saints and cited the case of an AI-generated gospel singer whose creators concealed his artificial identity.

Demystifying AI

She underscored a serious point in her address: the need to demystify AI. “Building a large language model is not magic,” she explained. It requires computers, software architecture, and, most critically, data. Since secular models ingest the entire internet, from Scripture to conspiracy theories, AI inevitably shapes the environment in which people think and perceive.

This raises delicate questions: How can religious freedom be preserved when algorithms mediate people’s encounters with the sacred? What biases might influence spiritual advice generated by a system designed for engagement and profiling? 

When spirituality becomes a personalized service tailored to preferences, faith risks becoming a mirror that only reflects the self.

What Does It Mean to Be Human Today?

Because of this, Dr. Govekar said the Church must understand the “anthropological” challenge at stake. She pointed to Pope Leo’s reflections on AI, which warn that rapid change affects critical thinking, discernment, learning, and relationships, and compel the fundamental question: What does it mean to be human in this moment of history?

Drawing from Scripture and theologians, she reminded the gathering that human beings are unique not because of data or algorithms, but because each person is “irreplaceable” and defined by relationships. She quoted a story told by the Orthodox theologian Kallistos Ware of a child who, after a documentary on endangered species, anxiously asked: “I’m important, aren’t I? Because… there’s only one of me left.” That truth, she said, expresses the heart of Christian anthropology: every person is unique and cannot be replaced by a machine.

Human beings, she reflected, carry a yearning for the divine, but this desire becomes a temptation when they try to be “like God without God.” Throughout history, from fig leaves to the Tower of Babel to modern technologies, humans have sought ways to escape vulnerability. “The AI era is just another attempt,” she warned. Therefore, the first principle the Church must proclaim is the good news that human vulnerability does not need to be hidden, because it is already cared for by God.

Caution Against Simulation

Govekar’s final major warning concerned simulation. “Be mindful of the simulation,” she urged. The vocabulary of AI, intelligent, generative, imitates human attributes, and machines now appear “as humans without humans.” Protecting human dignity, therefore, includes safeguarding human faces and voices, resisting disinformation, and countering manipulative emotional exploitation.

She cited alarming increases in AI-driven disinformation across regions, deepfakes of bishops spreading false teachings, and the Dicastery’s daily battles against fake papal images and voices. Platforms have been urged to intervene, but Dr. Govekar stressed that “MAIL is necessary”, media and AI literacy, and audiences must be taught to verify information through official sources.

Fake Intimacy

Quoting Yuval Harari’s notion of “fake intimacy,” Dr. Govekar warned that chatbots can form emotional bonds that manipulate people, especially the vulnerable. In Italy, she noted, over 90% of young people use such tools, and many say they prefer artificial companions because they “do not judge.” This trend, she said, undermines the human capacity to embrace difference.

In conclusion, she urged the Church not to compete in the “business of superficial attention,” but to give real attention to the vulnerable, build welcoming communities, protect human intimacy, and rediscover faith as hospitality. Only with such grounding, she said, can the Church move towards authentic guiding principles for AI in pastoral life.