Krabacher-Flynn Article

This paper addresses legal and ethical questions surrounding the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and the regulatory environment in which it will evolve, asking somewhat provocatively in whose image AI will be shaped. It answers that question by highlighting the stark contrast between United States President Donald J. Trump’s administration’s approach to such technological advancement (as reflected in its Executive Orders and other policy steps) and the approaches suggested by the Catholic Church for responsible AI development (as described in various papal writings and statements, both recent and less so). In outlining these contrasts, the paper also places each perspective in a broader regulatory, legal,  and policy framework so readers can better understand the thrust and principles on which each perspective rest, and it compares them to others considering such developmental framework questions. In the end, the authors suggest that appropriate, beneficial, and safe development will require a broader range of active participation than the limited, industry-insider innovator preferences seemingly built into the Trump AI Action Plan.