Church communicators must ensure that artificial intelligence serves human dignity and authentic encounter, not replace them, speakers said during a seminar on AI held at the sidelines of the 131st Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
The Jan. 20 seminar, organized by the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Social Communications (ECSC), brought together bishops and experts to reflect on the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence in evangelization, pastoral ministry, and media work.
Edwin Lopez, newly appointed executive secretary of the CBCP-ECSC, emphasized that the Church’s approach to AI must still be rooted in human relationships.
“Technology serves. Communion saves,” Lopez said, stressing that digital tools must never replace genuine human encounter. “In a world of constant connectivity, quality relational presence is the rarest form of communication.”
‘People always come first’
In his presentation, Lopez warned against treating AI as a substitute for pastoral presence, noting that evangelization is inherently relational.
“God did not just send a message; He sent Himself,” he said, pointing to the Incarnation as the Church’s model for communication. “Evangelization must always lead people to encounter, not automation.”
Drawing from Catholic social teaching and media ethics, Lopez underscored that AI tools should assist, not replace, human discernment.
He also cautioned against overreliance on so-called “agentic AI,” asking whether machines could ever provide the relational presence essential to Christian communication.
“Can an agentic AI create communion?” he asked. “In evangelization, relational communications always precedes persuasive communications.”
