Unlike AI, God’s love is unpredictable – Vatican official

A Vatican official has pointed out one of the biggest differences between ever-evolving Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the immeasurable love of God.

“Though Almighty God is invulnerable, God is moved by the suffering of His children. The algorithm is not. The mechanism of the algorithms is predictable. God’s love always surprises us,” said Dr. Paolo Ruffini, Prefect for the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, in his Easter message on Radio Veritas Asia (RVA).

Ruffini emphasized that human intelligence is not programmed like artificial intelligence but based on freedom.

“Our ability to connect knowledge is intertwined with our ability to love, that is not a computational issue,” he said.

“The algorithm does not consider fragility. Instead, the love we’re called to witness is born out of fragility, born out of the experience of the cross, and resurrection,” he also said.

Echoing Pope Francis’ message for the 58th World Communication Day, the prefect encourages everyone to rediscover a fully human way of communication to “confront and interpret the newness of our time.”

“He reminds us that we cannot escape our time, but it is up to us to decide whether we will become fonder of algorithms, or we will nourish our hearts with the freedom without which we cannot grow in wisdom,” Ruffini said.

Furthermore, the prefect invited the faithful to always remember how the apostles and the early Christians communicated the Gospel to communicate authentically and experience a “sharing of hearts.”

“There were no social networks then... their communication was also a weaving and casting of the net. Communicating the Gospel is never just communicating information, but an act of friendship, of building community, or weaving communion,” he explained. 

Ruffini called on all Christians to never wane on becoming channels of communication dedicated to spreading light, truth, love, and unity, “instead of lamenting the darkness of our time.”