VATICAN - "To preserve human voices and faces" is the theme chosen by the Pope for the 60th World Communications Day, which will be celebrated in many countries on Sunday, May 17, 2026, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord.

The Dicastery for Communications, along with the announcement of the theme for the sixtieth World Communications Day, emphasized that the future of communication must "ensure that machines are tools in the service of and connected to human life, and not forces that diminish the human voice." This refers to technology that "influences interactions in ways we have not yet known," with algorithms that "select the content presented in the news," and artificial intelligence that "creates entire texts and conversations." While these are "opportunities that were unthinkable just a few years ago," these tools "cannot replace the uniquely human abilities of empathy, ethics, and moral responsibility." Public communication, in fact, "requires human judgment, not just data patterns."

The call is to "ensure that humanity remains the primary actor." Today's communication, while offering great opportunities, is also associated with real risks, such as "engaging, but misleading, manipulative, and harmful content" that artificial intelligence can generate, which can reproduce "prejudices and stereotypes," amplify disinformation, and violate people's privacy without their consent. "Excessive reliance on artificial intelligence," the Vatican dicastery emphasizes, "weakens critical thinking and creativity, while monopolistic control of these systems raises concerns about the centralization of power and inequality."

This underscores the urgent need to introduce "media literacy" and "artificial intelligence literacy" (MAIL, Media and Artificial Intelligence Literacy) into educational systems. "As Catholics," the Dicastery for Communications concludes in its press release, "we can and must contribute to ensuring that people, especially young people, acquire the ability to think critically and grow in freedom of spirit."

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