The Catholic Church recognizes both the benefits and potential risks of technological advancements, emphasizing the need for ethical guidelines to protect human dignity and promote the common good 1 2.

Here's how the Church addresses the impact of technological advancement on human dignity:

Acknowledging the Benefits

• The Church acknowledges that technology has improved the quality of life and solved numerous problems 1 2.
• Technological progress is a product of God-given human creativity, and we can rejoice in the possibilities it opens 1.
• Digital technologies can promote a culture of encounter, dialogue, and listening, allowing individuals to exercise their freedom of opinion and expression responsibly 3.

Ethical Concerns and the Risk of Diminishing Human Dignity

• Without proper guidelines, technological innovations can threaten human dignity 1.
• The Church opposes applications that threaten the sanctity of life or the dignity of the human person 2.
• There's a risk of promoting a "technocratic paradigm" where human dignity and fraternity are set aside for efficiency, as if technology alone can solve all problems 4 5.
• The Church cautions against the idea that reality, goodness, and truth automatically flow from technological and economic power 4 5.
• Technological developments that worsen inequalities and conflicts do not constitute true progress 4 5.
• The discriminatory use of technology can harm the most fragile and excluded 6.
• The increasing presence of technology in human decisions can complicate understanding the object, foreseeing effects, and defining each factor's contribution 6.

The Need for Ethical Guidance and Moral Reflection

• The Church calls for serious ethical reflection on the risks and possibilities associated with scientific and technological advances 1.
• Technological development must be directed to serve the human person and contribute to justice, fraternity, and humane social relations 2.
• The intrinsic dignity of every person must be the key criterion for evaluating emerging technologies 7 8.
• Human intelligence plays a crucial role in directing the use of technology in line with the authentic good of the human person 7 8.
• The development and deployment of AI in armaments should be subject to the highest levels of ethical scrutiny, with concern for human dignity and the sanctity of life 9.

Promoting Human Dignity in the Digital Age

• The Church emphasizes the need for responsible citizenship and capable leaders inspired by the common good to heal the world and build a more inclusive and sustainable future 1.
• The Church advocates for policies and regulations to protect human dignity from threats such as child pornography, misuse of personal data, and the spread of false information 1.
• The Church supports international laws and regulations that promote integral human development and peace, rather than progress as an end in itself 1.
• The Church calls for a culture of respect, dialogue, and friendship in the digital world, avoiding words and images that degrade human beings or promote hatred 10.
• The Church emphasizes the importance of protecting minors in the digital world and denouncing violence and abuse against children 11.
• The Church promotes the idea that technology should serve human needs without isolating people from one another 1.
• The Church supports the establishment of an International Organization for Artificial Intelligence to facilitate the exchange of scientific and technological information for peaceful uses and the common good 6.

Conclusion

The Church recognizes the potential of technology to do good, but insists on the necessity of grounding its development and use in ethical considerations that safeguard human dignity, promote the common good, and ensure that technology serves humanity rather than the other way around 12 13 14.