The dignity of the human person is inviolable at every stage of life and cannot be made dependent on age, abilities or degree of autonomy. This was the central principle of the address delivered by Msgr. Roberto Campisi, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to UNESCO, in Paris on 28 September, on the occasion of the 33rd Session of the International Bioethics Committee (IBC) and the 14th Extraordinary Session of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST).
The address focused on two issues of particular importance in light of the transformations affecting contemporary societies: population ageing and the development of generative artificial intelligence. Although distinct, these two areas raise a common fundamental question: how can we ensure that social, scientific and technological changes take place in full respect for the dignity of the human person?
On the issue of ageing, Msgr. Campisi stressed that the increase in life expectancy, while representing an important achievement, calls for deeper reflection on the meaning of old age and on the situations of vulnerability that may accompany it. Human dignity, the Permanent Observer recalled, does not diminish with the loss of autonomy or individual capacities, but must be recognized and protected throughout the entire course of life, from conception to natural death.
A second part of the address concerned generative artificial intelligence and its growing impact on the production, evaluation and dissemination of knowledge. New technologies can make a significant contribution to research and facilitate access to knowledge, but their development also raises important questions concerning the role of human responsibility and discernment.
From this perspective, artificial intelligence cannot replace human judgement, nor can it relieve those who produce, verify and disseminate knowledge of their responsibilities. In addressing the challenges posed both by population ageing and by technological innovation, the fundamental criterion indicated by the Holy See therefore remains the centrality of the human person. Scientific and technological progress finds its fullest meaning when it is placed at the service of the human person, human dignity and the common good.