This is our time to shape the world

Dec 06, 2024

BANGALORE, India: A revolution is unfolding in the world of communication, and Catholic communicators are being called to respond with courage and creativity.

Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, posed this critical challenge at the recent launch of the first national Catholic media conference in Bangalore. He asked, “Are Catholic communicators ready to respond to the challenge of creating a community, a platform, of mutual sharing and collaboration to share truth and build a better world?”

The event, titled ILLUMINAIRE: Nurturing Digital Stewardship in the Era of Artificial Intelligence, was organised by the Salesian Communication departments in Rome and India, in collaboration with the Vatican Dicastery for Communication and other national Church communication bodies. It brought together 300 participants, including clergy and religious, to explore the impact of social media and artificial intelligence (AI) on their lives and to promote their responsible and ethical use.

Ruffini underscored the urgency of the moment, describing it as a pivotal time of transformation. “This is our time. (…) We are shaping it through what we do and through what we fail to do,” he said, emphasising that Catholic communicators have a responsibility to shape the digital landscape by telling and sharing the truth.

He highlighted the dual potential of AI and digital communication. While these tools have the power to strengthen relationships and promote equality, they also pose risks of increased loneliness and the creation of “new classes based on informational dominance,” where algorithmic control and data exploitation could lead to inequality. “The basic question is about humans, not machines; the relationship between humans, not algorithms,” Ruffini stressed.

He encouraged participants to embrace AI’s potential without losing sight of humanity. “Artificial intelligence can be enormously useful but also potentially harmful. It must not lead us to lose our humanity. Instead, it should help us become more mature as human beings.”

Ruffini emphasised the pivotal role of communication in shaping the future, stating that it could either “build a better world or continue to foment misunderstandings, resentments, and enmity.” He underscored that no investment is too great for spreading truth and “triggering dynamics of good in our stories.”

Drawing on Pope Francis’ call for unity and collaboration, Ruffini urged a commitment to building a communication culture rooted in relationships and humanity to “combat the virus of division.” He warned against constructing modern-day Towers of Babel, saying, “In a time when so many are tempted to build a new tower of Babel, we are called to serve this miracle of unity in diversity. We need to help one another to make it work.”

Digital communication, he noted, has connected humanity in unprecedented ways, but he reminded his audience of the irreplaceable warmth of true human interaction. He advocated for a balanced approach to technology, ensuring that it serves human relationships rather than replacing them.

Concluding his address, Ruffini expressed confidence that the conference would inspire “viable pathways to creating a community, a platform, of mutual sharing and collaboration.” He urged Catholic communicators to rise to the challenge, using the tools of digital media to share truth, foster unity, and build a better world.

In this era of rapid technological evolution, Ruffini’s words resonate as both a call to action and a reminder of the enduring value of authentic human connection in shaping a brighter and more just future. --Agencies