In 1914, when the Daughters of St. Paul were founded by Blessed James Alberione, he wanted us to proclaim the Gospel by using whatever means of communication invention would provide. Back then, communications media consisted of the printed word in newspapers, magazines, and books. In the 111 years since, communications technology has exploded, and we Daughters of St. Paul have embraced each one, announcing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The latest technology that has everyone buzzing is artificial intelligence (AI). A simple way to describe AI is the ability of a computer or machine to perform a task that normally requires human intelligence. There are many wonderful ways AI technology can benefit humanity, but concerns abound, as well. The Church has been in the forefront of the development of AI ethics and sets forth the Church's position in the document, "Antiqua et Nova," with a subtitle that reads "Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence." The document can be found on the Holy See's website.

Because of AI's impact on society, including spirituality, the Daughters of St. Paul who are assigned to Pauline Media Studies -- Sister Nancy Usselmann and myself, Sister Hosea Rupprecht -- have been working diligently to help parents, teachers, and other Church leaders learn how AI works, and provide practical ways to make sure the human person in its full dignity stays at the center of any AI system. As I write, Sister Nancy is in Rome to participate in the Builders AI Forum, gathering together leaders of Catholic AI ventures.

One question we often get asked as we talk about AI is, "How can I tell what's real from what's AI-generated?" Unfortunately, it is getting more difficult to tell the difference between human-created and AI-generated content. AI-generated videos are all over social media. Pope Leo XIV has been the subject of many deepfake videos, making him appear to have done or said things he never did. Always check official Vatican outlets, such as Vatican News or the Holy See website, for authentic news from the pope. The ethical way to share AI-generated videos is to acknowledge that it is AI-generated. For example, the app Sora includes a watermark. Even so, users can remove the mark.

Recently, I gave a workshop to catechists called, "AI and Lived Discipleship." We talked about how connected we are digitally but how disconnected we are physically from other people. Loneliness has become a pervasive, widespread crisis. Disconnection from God and spirituality happens, as well. With the myriad challenges AI presents to us, I offered what I think is an antidote. It's twofold: critical thinking and intentionality.

Numerous times, Pope Leo has called us to critical thinking in the face of technology. It's important to ask questions when we come across something that doesn't seem quite right online. We question the source and take the time to dig deeper to discover if a post is authentic or not.

The other antidote is intentionality. This concerns more the way we use AI. If we're mindful and intentional about how we utilize AI, we won't find ourselves overdependent on artificial intelligence. One important way to do this is to favor embodiment. In other words, discipleship is lived in the physical world with other people, and with God, whom we encounter especially in the sacraments. AI and other digital tools must serve, never replace, real-world encounters.

One doesn't have to be a sister to reflect on the way AI influences our culture. As a Daughter of St. Paul working in media studies, however, our apostolate is to help others find the holiness to which we are all called, even in the world of communication and digital technology.

Blessed James Alberione, pray for us.

St. Carlo Acutis, pray for us.