Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546061
8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 5 AUGUST 2026 OPINION MAGNIFICA Humanitas is an encyclical letter written by Pope Leo XIV on the pro- tection of the human person in the age of Artificial Intelli- gence (AI). In plain language, it is a major Catholic Church document that asks a very modern question: As technol- ogy becomes more powerful, how do we make sure that hu- man beings do not become less important? Its concern is not technology itself. It does not say that AI is evil, nor does it ask society to turn its back on progress. Its warning is more subtle and more serious. Tech- nology can heal, teach, con- nect and protect. But it can also divide, exploit, deceive and concentrate power in the hands of a few. The document frames this choice through two biblical images: The Tower of Babel, where human ambition becomes domination, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, where people work together to restore a broken city. That image is useful even for those outside the church. One does not need to be Catholic, or even religious, to understand the danger of a society that becomes smarter as it grows colder. We are already living with some of the early signs. Children are growing up inside systems designed to capture their attention. Workers are being measured by tools they cannot see or challenge. Public debate is being polluted by fake images, false information and manufactured outrage. Elderly people are being of- fered digital substitutes for companionship. Citizens may soon find that decisions about jobs, loans, welfare, healthcare or education are shaped by sys- tems they do not understand and cannot question. So the real test of Magnifica Humanitas is not whether it is admired, quoted or discussed at conferences. The real test is whether it can be translated in- to daily life. Educating beyond technology The first place to start is ed- ucation. Every school should teach digital literacy as a civic skill, not as an optional extra. Young people need to under- stand how algorithms shape what they see, how deepfakes work, how online platforms encourage addiction, how per- sonal data is collected, and how artificial content can manipu- late emotions. But this educa- tion cannot only be technical. A child also needs to learn pa- tience, judgement, attention and empathy. These are not old-fashioned virtues. They are survival skills in a digital age. A school that takes Magnifi- ca Humanitas seriously would not simply buy more devic- es and call that innovation. It would ask harder questions. Are pupils learning to think, or merely to search? Are they be- coming more curious, or more dependent? Are they able to sit with a difficult text, listen to another person and form their own judgement? The encycli- cal stresses the role of schools, families and communities in offering what the digital world cannot easily provide—shared time, trustworthy relationships and the formation of con- science. That is where a real programme must begin. Accountability with a name The second step is accounta- bility. No person should be se- riously affected by an automat- ed decision without the right to human review. If a person is denied a job, a benefit, a school place, a medical service, a bank account or public support, they should be able to know why. They should also be able to appeal to a responsible human being. This should become a basic principle in law and in compa- ny policy. This is not hostility to technology. It is common sense. Machines may help pro- cess information, but they can- not carry moral responsibility. A society that hides behind software weakens justice. When something goes wrong, people should not be sent in circles between customer ser- vice desks, automated replies and unreadable technical ex- planations. They should have a name, a process and a remedy. Dignity of work The third step is protecting workers. For many people, ar- tificial intelligence is not an abstract debate. It is a fear that their job may disappear, that their skills may be devalued, or that they will be watched more closely by systems designed to squeeze more output from every minute. The encyclical speaks strongly about the dig- nity of work and warns against a model of innovation that sac- rifices people for profit. This principle needs to become pol- icy. Employers should be required to publish an AI transition plan before introducing systems that replace, rank or monitor workers. Staff should be consulted be- fore such tools are introduced. Training should be funded. Productivity gains should be shared through better wages, shorter working hours, safer workplaces or new opportuni- ties. There should also be firm limits on surveillance. A work- place where every keystroke, route, pause or facial expres- sion is tracked is not simply ef- ficient. It is dehumanising. Democratic oversight The fourth step is democratic oversight. At present, many of the most powerful digital sys- tems are built and controlled by private companies. These companies may be innovative, but they are not elected. Their first duty is often to investors, not citizens. The encyclical warns about the concentration of techno- logical power and calls for re- sponsibility, transparency and governance. From a layman's point of view, that means gov- ernments must stop treating technology as too complicated to regulate. Public authorities should require human dignity Not another Tower of Babel! Alexiei Dingli Professor of Artificial Intelligence As technolog y becomes more powerful, how do we make sure that human beings do not become less important?