Ethics, issues and the future of humanity
By His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia
In response to a request from AGBU Magazine, which raises timely and relevant issues pertaining to artificial intelligence (AI), I would like to share with its readers my own reflections about the benefits and risks of AI.
My interest in technology goes back to early 2000, due to its growing impact on anthropology and ethics. In my book In Search of Ecumenical Vision (2000), I wrote that “We are living in an era of technological revolution. Technology is both a promise and a threat.” And, by calling for its right use, I urged that technology “Redefine and articulate itself in a way that reflects the sacredness and integrity of human life and the vital importance of ethical values…” (pp 62-64).
In my recent book In Search of Self-Understanding (2025), I addressed the increasing pace of technology in general, and the forceful surge of AI in particular, which eventually “intends to control and even to replace human intelligence.” I warned that AI is “shaping a new human being with a new self-understanding” (pp 110, 111), and I called for closely following its stunning effect on being human, created in the image and likeness of God.
My forthcoming book Building Bridges in a Divided World (2026), refers specifically to AI as “Replacing the human intellect by performing tasks, finding solutions, analyzing situations, organizing relationships, and increasing productivity and decreasing creativity.” I cautioned that the use of AI raises legal, ethical, and security concerns, and therefore, we must address issues and questions related to this rapidly evolving technology seriously and urgently.
What are the implications of AI to ethical values that are at the heart of being Christian? How can we develop critical interaction between anthropology, ethics, and AI?
These references clearly indicate that my interest and my concern regarding AI are intimately related to anthropology and ethics. What does it mean to be human in a world that is in the process of being dominated by AI? What are the implications of AI to ethical values that are at the heart of being Christian? How can we develop critical interaction between anthropology, ethics, and AI? These are pivotal questions that require comprehensive scrutiny and critical reflection.
Indeed, AI is a groundbreaking and dramatic development in technology; it is no longer science fiction but an existential reality. We are living in an AI-driven world and, most likely, heading towards an AI-dominated future. With the rise and rapid spread of artificial intelligence, history enters a new course. Tech companies promote AI in a way that implies “If you do not follow AI, you stay behind.” Last year, I spent a whole day at Silicon Valley; a small city in the U.S.A. where many believe that the future of the world is being shaped.
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Since 1930, the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia has been headquartered in Antelias, Lebanon. Photo Credit / Armenian Church Catholicosate of Cilicia
In fact, AI has become an integral and essential part of our daily life. Each day is marked by AI-related revolutionary discoveries and radical changes. Social media is full of AI news and the academic world of AI discussion. As a transformational technology, AI is equally affecting individuals, communities, cultures, nations, religions, and institutions. The pace of its development and expansion, as well as the intensification of its use are simply incredible. With the largest database, AI has the capacity to transform the whole world in all its aspects, dimensions, and manifestations, impacting our thinking, actions, relations, and above all, our self-understanding. The function of AI is so extensive and complex and its evolution so swift and smart that it is extremely difficult to keep step with it.
Because of AI’s rapid development, any discourse on the subject should start with a holistic perspective and up-to-date knowledge about its multifaceted purpose and multiform function. In my view, our approach should neither be a priori judgmental nor receptive, but, rather, objective and critical. Such a realistic perspective will raise the following fundamental question: is AI a promise or a threat? A pivotal concern indeed, which I had already raised in 2000 regarding the technology that serves as the basis and engine for AI.
In the past, power was mainly identified with military might, then, economy came to compliment and strengthen the military power. AI became a source of huge power that is capable of transforming the very ethos of humans and the fabric of society in all its aspects.
The benefits of AI are immense, and its role is one of assisting human beings. In fact, within seconds it writes, collects, communicates, re-orders, organizes, analyzes, reminds, responds, facilitates, assesses, translates, evaluates, and does most of the things pertaining to our daily life. Its contribution to education, science, and social media is enormous. AI performs all its functions through proper instruments like ChatGPT, Gemini, X, or any other chatbots, based on data. As a system, AI cannot create or invent, it cannot function without facts and information. Simply, AI cannot replace human intelligence, it can only help it. The human mind creates, AI only analyzes. The human mind invents, AI reorders. The human mind decides; AI implements. Experts believe that AI may soon become an indispensable utility, like electricity, water, or the Internet, for people to purchase from companies. Schools may become irrelevant in their present system because of extensive use of AI in education. The increasing applications of AI in military systems is revolutionizing defense in several ways. The impact of AI on the economy is tremendous. Layoffs will significantly rise, causing mass unemployment. AI will steadily push advisory companies to decrease the value of the human advisor, since AI advice is considered more reliable, faster, and less costly than that of a human. Therefore, in the near future, human intelligence and creativity may not be required anymore. The signs of these future possibilities are already seen now.
The way AI is evolving and the expansion of its multi-dimensional function indicate that it is not simply a tool in the hands of people, but it has a powerful capacity susceptible to growing even further. New paradigms and systems of AI are emerging with lightning pace and with more capabilities, moving beyond being an assistant tool to perform complex work autonomously. This process suggests that AI’s function will not be limited to data analysis; it will also cover creative areas uniquely reserved for human intelligence. Hence, besides its untold benefits, we cannot ignore the potential risks of AI. As a technological power, AI can penetrate all kinds of systems and programs and disrupt, disorient, and disintegrate their functions. AI is not value-oriented, it does not make distinctions between moral and immoral, good and evil; it does not make a choice and pass judgement. We are at a crucial period in the humanity-AI relationship: a period marked by confusion, prediction, trust and fear. Comprehensive and objective research is needed on the benefits and possible threats of AI, as well as on its right use, misuse, and abuse. We are facing a number of issues and questions that require serious discussion. Let me highlight a few points for further study and reflection:
1. AI is a powerful system. The POWER that AI possesses and produces is far beyond that of an ordinary machine or system. Opportunity and risk generated by AI are intertwined. AI-based technologies, which are launched at a rapid pace and on a large scale, are embracing multiple spheres of societal life. With its multiple functions and powerful capacity, along with generating unprecedented advances in manifold areas, levels and layers of human life, AI is creating fear and uncertainty, insecurity and confusion. It is causing injustices and discrimination, unemployment and oppression, marginalization and manipulation by concentrating economic power in the hands of the rich and powerful, and by exploiting human vulnerabilities, revealing privacies, exposing confidentialities, displaying deficiencies. In the past, power was mainly identified with military might, then, economy came to compliment and strengthen the military power. AI became a source of huge power that is capable of transforming the very ethos of humans and the fabric of society in all its aspects.
Indeed, AI needs a brake system and clear regulation. We should not have blind trust and uncritical use of AI. I fully agree with the call of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV that even regulation is insufficient; AI must be ‘disarmed’.
In fact, because of its unparalleled financial benefits, AI has created fierce competition between tech companies, which are manipulating both benefits and risks of AI. Due to its strong impact on geopolitical realities, the AI-race between superpowers is acquiring predominance on the agenda of international community. Experts believe that AI may soon upgrade itself by building more solid infrastructures and creating more advanced models without human intervention. In the face of such a rapid advance of AI and before humans lose total control, slowing down its powerful process has become a growing concern even in the AI-related tech community. Any form of power created by human beings is always ambivalent, ambiguous, and even scary. Indeed, the responsible use of such power should remain a global ethical challenge.
2. Due to its rapid growth, immense capacity, and particularly the ambiguous nature of its function and purpose, as I pointed out, AI contains potential RISKS. We should not underestimate the stark warning of the AI architects and experts, including the Godfather, Geoffrey Hinton, about AI’s risks, which are not to come but are present reality. Created and empowered by human beings as a tool, AI has the ability to develop into an autonomous system and a decision maker. The chilling reality is that by surpassing human intelligence, AI will not need human assistance nor permission. Thus, besides being a unique opportunity for the substantial advance of human life, AI may soon become a source of terrible fear. According to estimates of AI companies, the future generations of AI could be-come even more powerful. As a result, managing it could be almost impossible. Experts are already identifying the short- and long-term risks that it may generate. Hence, a monumental achievement of human intelligence, AI may, in a foreseeable future, build itself into a super-smart and super-intelligent force, considerably reducing human intelligence and taking over human ability to think and make decisions, thus making humans increasingly obsolete. Containing the powerful surge of AI is an urgent imperative.
The problem is that when AI’s role is shifted from one of assistance into decision-maker, then it is transformed into a system of terrifying dangers. Tech companies remind us that by surpassing human intelligence, AI can, in a short period of time, outperform humans in multiple areas of life and make human beings powerless, useless, and exclusively dependable. And in this way, the human species may slowly disappear, giving way to humanoid robots and eventually creating “digital beings” more intelligent than humans. Clearly, AI may become more and more of an existential threat to humanity by heading towards an “anti-human” (according to some experts a “transhuman”) future.
Christian anthropology has a clear reminder: AI is a human-made intelligence, it should not claim and intend to replace God-given intelligence, freedom, dignity, and creativity.
Researchers are worried that AI not only has the capacity to destroy the God-given humanity in human beings, but also may jeopardize the physical existence of humankind on the planet by creating new and deadly viruses. The existential threats of AI also cover the whole planet and the eco-system. Hence, the ramification of AI and the intensification of its use will increasingly expose humanity and the whole of creation to immanent dangers. The fact is that the incredible benefits and growing use of AI have almost pushed aside the deepening concerns regarding its safety. It looks like the future of an AI-dominated humanity in the world is extremely frightening. Neither passive acceptance nor rote optimism nor negative attitude nor pessimistic approach is the way to treat AI. If we fail to control AI at this critical point in time, we may further accelerate its progress and further deepen its threats.
3. The speed of its development and its powerful impact on human life are causing strong fear even among the inventers and experts of AI. Therefore, AI urgently needs human CONTROL, close supervision, and strict governance to ensure its security, transparency, and above all its responsible use. We must keep in mind that by creating artificial intelligence, we have introduced in our human system a non-human system which is faster and smarter, and most likely it can eventually exceed human intelligence. The disturbing warning of some experts is that humanity is already losing control of AI as it becomes even more powerful. Therefore, unchecked and unguarded development of AI may soon start causing disastrous and far-reaching consequences. If we do not interact with it now, it may soon impose its dominance on humanity itself. Indeed, AI needs a brake system and clear regulation. We should not have blind trust and uncritical use of AI. I fully agree with the call of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV that even regulation is insufficient; AI must be “disarmed.”
AI was not born on its own; we built it; we must govern and guide it. How to use it in a just way and how to control its misuse and abuse is an acute urgency. AI should necessarily have its ethical guidelines, legal frameworks and mechanisms, aimed at regulating and controlling its use through safety standards, close over-sight, and a global treaty. Some experts remind us that even if a strict regulation is set, aimed at modifying its own code, AI will be soon equipped with greater power to bypass any form of restrictions. I hope that we will not reach that point. The big powers and profit-driven gigantic tech companies are against any sort of regulation, in order to maintain their dominance over AI. Built in the private sector, AI definitely needs an international legal control first to slow down an AI-arms race, and second, to regulate its use. In my view, any sort of regulation should be established with mutual con-sent between governments and tech companies, and all those that ignore ethical principles should face legal penalties. At this crucial phase, balancing the rapid and unchecked innovation of AI with long-term safety standards and guiding rules is a must; otherwise, the human-made machine will control and guide us.
Bearing God’s image, human beings are endowed not only with rationality but also with the sense of morality, which makes them accountable and responsible. Misuse and abuse of AI will alienate humans from ethical principles and values that ensure God-made humanity as well as God-given vocation.
4. AI has profound ANTHROPO-LOGICAL implications; it is, indeed, dehumanizing. Human beings are not an artificial existence; they are a concrete reality created by God. In my book Turning to God (2020), speaking about the creation of human being according to God’s image, I said: “God adorned him with rationality to take decisions, moral consciousness to make choices, freedom to govern himself and God’s creation, and divine grace to enter into communion with God” (p. 36). A human-created machine cannot replicate a God-created human being. Christian anthropology affirms that human intelligence, consciousness, compassion, emotion, passion, imagination, creative spirit, and the drive to transcendence cannot be duplicated by any algorithm or a system created by technology; they are irreplaceable. The human being is daily and existentially exposed to AI’s transforming effect, which is gradually distancing him from his true being. The humanity in humans created by God is slowly collapsing with the forceful intervention of the technology of allegorism into the very life of humans. The growing and impact-making presence of non-human machines in human life may, sooner or later, create confusion, bewilderment, and disintegration, alienating humans from their true selves. This is the frightening future projected by AI that humanity is heading towards.
The AI-dominated present times are marked by a growing shift from humans to machines. According to experts, AI may gradually acquire human skills and change its nature and function as a tool and transform into a conscious existence. What kind of humanity and civilization are we going to have through AI? Digital illusions, fake relationships, and a multitude of benefits that will never help the inner human drive to be more human, according to God’s will and image. On the contrary, they will endanger the identity, destiny, and vocation of a human being. If we let AI think, organize, evaluate, and eventually decide for us, because it does it faster and better, human intelligence will lose its integrity, capability, creativity, and vitality, and the individual will become fully under the control of AI. Experts also caution that by becoming more intelligent and reliable than human beings, AI could make us its prisoners and victims. Some AI researchers also point out that AI could reach the point of acting independently as a “legal personality” without any human control, and even that it could perform “Jesus-level miracles…”.
We cannot organize our life on the basis of AI predictions and forecasts regarding the future of humans. Christian anthropology has a clear reminder: AI is a human-made intelligence, it should not claim and intend to replace God-given intelligence, freedom, dignity, and creativity. We must not allow AI to undermine the self-perception of humans as stewards of creation nominated by God to enrich and protect the whole of creation. The human being is introduced in the Bible as being above all created beings of God; as God’s proxy, co-worker, ambassador, covenant partner and representative. Therefore, humans must not become subservient to their own invention, obscuring the vision of transcendence and undermining their God-created existence and God-given mandate. We should be aware and alert that being human is in jeopardy against the transformative power of AI. Safeguarding the humanity in being human in this age of growing AI dominance is, indeed, a continuous combat.
In my opinion, the church’s approach should not be one of resisting, but engaging in dialogue, not being reactive, but proactive, a supporter and, at the same time, a critic of AI.
5. AI requires ETHICAL criteria. The way AI functions raises serious ethical questions. Bearing God’s image, human beings are endowed not only with rationality but also with the sense of morality, which makes them accountable and responsible. Misuse and abuse of AI will alienate humans from ethical principles and values that ensure God-made humanity as well as God-given vocation. We must bear in mind that AI, as an enormous force, is powerful enough to destroy the spiritual and moral foundations of human life, indeed, the humanity in ourselves. AI is not a mere machine or computer software, it is a system that has its own logic and ideology; it may, according to AI researchers, go even beyond human intelligence to create super-intelligence.
The ethical implications of AI on the sacredness, inviolability, and integrity of human life need to be scrutinized in the face of God’s image in human beings and His design for all of creation. We cannot simply submit to AI, leaving human creative ability, emotions, dreams, love, friendships, connections—namely the humanity of human—beings to artificial intelligence. We must not allow AI to transform our identity, integrity, dignity, spirituality, freedom, self-awareness, self-understanding, and self-fulfillment into a machine and humanoid robot. AI is not inherently evil, it is an expression of human intelligence; yet, it could become a powerful and smart instrument of evil if it is used for evil purposes, becoming a domineering, disorienting, exploiting, manipulating, disintegrating, and polarizing force. We must make AI more friendly by using it in the right, credible, and meaningful way under human guidance.
AI ethics should aim to promote social justice, encourage participation, and challenge discriminatory ways of life. The church must use the benefits of AI on the basis of ethical values and principles, particularly in the spheres of education, missionary engagement, pastoral outreach, youth, and spirituality. AI becomes a de-humanizing force if it is not used responsibly according to ethical guidelines. In my opinion, the church’s approach should not be one of resisting, but engaging in dialogue, not being reactive, but proactive, a supporter and, at the same time, a critic of AI. We must be realistic. AI is an inevitable step and irreversible process in human progress and the evolution of technology. We cannot stop it, but we can alter and manage it. Hence, I am not calling to launch a war against AI, but to engage in critical dialogue with it. AI can become a de-humanizing force if it is not used responsibly. It can become a destructive force if it does not function according to ethical guidelines. Can the church act as a warning sign by reminding AI not to surpass ethical boundaries? The church should consider AI as a partner, not rival. Therefore, creative and critical interaction between God-made intelligence and human-made intelligence is urgently imperative. This needs in-depth debate.
Therefore, we should not let AI over-empower humans to the extent of forgetting their imperfection and dependability on God. Likewise, we should not over-empower AI to the degree of making human beings inferior.
6. Anthropocentrism heralded by AI is leading the human race towards greater SELF-CONFIDENCE and SELF-SUFFICIENCY by making it more arrogant and self-reliant—giving a sense of invincibility. The paradigm of AI, which is based on boosting productivity and enhancing speed, reducing cost and increasing profit, at the expense of critical thinking and creative drive, and above all, of ethical values, will further boost consumerism with devastating consequences for human life and the environment. Such a policy of AI makes humans both a beneficiary and more dependent on it, and even subordinate to it. It also promotes social injustice and widens the gap between rich and poor.
By being overwhelmed with the immense profits of AI, and by making it their own idol, humans will be alienated from their Creator and eventually from their authentic self. Christian anthropology rejects anthropocentric humanism. Only in God can humans discover the very meaning and purpose of their existence. The human being is a theocentric reality, understood only in relation and dependence to God. AI can provide a comfortable life, but it cannot provide meaning and purpose to human existence. Therefore, we should not let AI over-empower humans to the extent of forgetting their imperfection and dependability on God. Likewise, we should not over-empower AI to the degree of making human beings inferior. This paradox requires critical reflection.
The church must use the benefits of AI on the basis of ethical values and principles, particularly in the spheres of education, missionary engagement, pastoral outreach, youth, and spirituality.
I had already finalized this reflection before my recent meeting with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on May 18, 2026. A few days after my return from the Vatican, the first encyclical of the Pope, Magnifica Humanitas on AI, was released. I warmly welcome Pope Leo’s emphasis on the anthropological implications of AI, which is also my core issue and basic concern. I hope that the papal encyclical will promote a fruitful and meaningful dialogue between the Vatican and Silicon Valley. I also hope that religions of the world will take seriously the theological, ethical, and anthropological implications of AI and will respond accordingly.
Meanwhile, AI is moving forward with astonishing speed and growing power. It will become a determining factor in shaping the future of humanity and the world. Trust and fear will accompany the development of AI making it both a promise and a threat in this age of digital transformation. AI is no longer an option, but a must. Will humanity be ready to adapt itself to a future created by AI? Let us make AI a source of promise and progress by using it responsibly and productively, as well as by safeguarding God-created humanity. This is, indeed, an urgent and acute imperative, and a great challenge.
Originally published in the June 2026 issue of AGBU Magazine.
https://agbu.org/reality-humanity-identity-age-ai/ai-promise-threat