Technology has profoundly transformed how people live, work, and relate to one another. Yet this progress has also raised major ethical and moral challenges. The Catholic Church, with its long tradition of philosophical and theological reflection, has approached technological developments critically, while remaining open to the opportunities they offer for the common good. From biotechnology to artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, the Church has sought to establish an ethical framework defending personal dignity and respect for creation.
3.18.1 Technology and the Human Person: An Approach Based on Dignity
For the Church, every technology must be evaluated not only in terms of efficiency and usefulness, but according to how it affects human dignity. The Church’s Social Doctrine emphasizes that the human person is always at the center of all economic and technical activity. As expressed in John Paul II’s encyclical “Centesimus Annus”, the Church affirms that technology is an instrument, not an end in itself. The problem arises when technology departs from its purpose of serving humanity and becomes a power that subjugates and dehumanizes people.
Human dignity is the guiding principle that must direct the development and use of emerging technologies. Pope Francis, in his encyclical “Laudato Si’”, warns of the risk of a “misguided anthropocentrism”, in which human beings set themselves up as absolute masters of creation, forgetting their responsibility as its guardians and custodians. This approach is especially relevant when technologies capable of altering human nature, such as genetic engineering and artificial intelligence, are applied.
3.18.2 The Church and Biotechnology: Ethical Dilemmas in Manipulating Life
One of the greatest ethical challenges of our time is using biotechnology to manipulate human and animal life. From cloning to gene editing with tools such as CRISPR-Cas9, the ability to alter organisms’ DNA raises profound questions about the limits of science and humanity’s role as creator.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in its instruction “Dignitas Personae” (2008), addresses many of these issues, emphasizing that, although science is a gift from God, the use of biotechnology must be guided by clear moral principles. According to the Church, any genetic intervention must respect the dignity and integrity of the human being. Human cloning, for example, is categorically rejected because it turns the person into a product, an object manufactured according to another’s will, rather than a being endowed with intrinsic value.
Another controversial issue is the genetic modification of embryos to prevent diseases or even improve certain physical or intellectual characteristics. The Church warns that these interventions, although well-intentioned, can lead to the creation of a “eugenic culture” in which human beings are selected and modified according to criteria of usefulness and perfection. In this regard, the Church defends the inviolability of human life from the moment of conception and each person’s right to be born with their own genetic code intact.
Regarding animal and plant biotechnology, the Church is more open, but insists on the need to apply a precautionary principle. The genetic engineering of plants and animals can be legitimate if it helps improve quality of life and provide food to those in need, provided it does not endanger biodiversity or cause irreversible damage to ecosystems.
3.18.3 Artificial Intelligence: Ethical Challenges in the Twenty-First Century
Artificial intelligence (AI) represents a new horizon of possibilities, but also of risks. Algorithms’ ability to learn, make autonomous decisions, and perform complex tasks raises fundamental questions about moral responsibility, human autonomy, and freedom. The Church has begun reflecting on these issues, especially through initiatives of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the Pontifical Academy for Life.
In 2020, the Church joined in creating the “Rome Call for AI Ethics”, a commitment seeking to promote a humanistic AI that respects human dignity and rights. This document, signed by the Vatican together with technology companies such as TECH-VENDOR-008 and TECH-VENDOR-005, establishes basic principles such as transparency, privacy, non-discrimination, and human control over technology. The Rome Call stresses that AI must not be used to manipulate people or create new forms of inequality through algorithmic bias.
The Church has also expressed concern about the development of autonomous robots and AI-based weapons systems, known as “killer robots”. Using these technologies in military conflicts risks further dehumanizing warfare and transferring moral responsibility for lethal decisions to machines lacking consciousness or ethical capacity. The Vatican has called for a global moratorium on the use of these systems and urged the UN to develop an international regulatory framework limiting their use.
3.18.4 The Ethical Use of Information: Challenges of the Digital Age
The advancement of digital technology has transformed how people obtain information, communicate, and make decisions. Yet information and its ethical use pose serious challenges. Disinformation, fake news, and data manipulation have eroded trust in institutions and polarized societies to an alarming degree. The Church has responded to this phenomenon by calling for ethical responsibility in the use of digital media.
In his message for the 2018 World Communications Day, Pope Francis emphasized that “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32) and warned against distorting truth in the media. He called on journalists and communicators to be “artisans of truth”, and denounced the practice of creating false news to manipulate public opinion. The Church has also promoted digital literacy and the development of an information ethic that respects truth and promotes the common good.
3.18.5 The Church and the Future of Humanity: Toward Technology Serving the Common Good
As technology advances, the Church insists that technological development must always remain subordinate to the common good and respect for human dignity. Catholic theology rejects both techno-optimism, which sees technology as the solution to all human problems, and techno-pessimism, which demonizes it as a destructive force. Instead, the Church advocates a balanced approach viewing technology as a tool that can enhance human potential, provided it is used ethically and responsibly.
The Church’s future in the technological age will depend on its ability to engage in dialogue with the scientific world and offer an ethical vision guiding emerging technologies toward service to the person and the community. Technology can be a force for liberation and development, but only if it serves a Christian anthropology that sees the human person as the center and summit of creation.