Scholas Chairs Congress: AI must liberate, not enslave

Summary

The article reports on a three-day summit titled “Artificial Intelligence and Human Sense,” held at the United in Diversity campus in Bali, Indonesia, and concluded on 6 September. Organized by Scholas Occurrentes and United in Diversity as part of the 11th International Congress of Scholas Chairs, the event brought together more than 200 academic and social leaders, religious authorities, entrepreneurs, politicians, and young people from 35 countries. The meeting coincided with commemorations of the second anniversary of Pope Francis’s apostolic visit to Southeast Asia and the signing of the Istiqlal Interreligious Declaration. Monsignor Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage represented the Holy See’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and argued that artificial intelligence should liberate rather than enslave, while education should develop critical discernment and responsible use. Participants discussed AI’s effects on identity, education, mental health, employment, democracy, peace, governance, and human meaning. The article says the summit also drew on Pope Francis’s “culture of encounter” and “algor-ethics,” Leo XIV’s encyclical “Magnifica humanitas,” and the Balinese concept of Tri Hita Karana. Five central challenges were identified, including cultivating wisdom, emotional intelligence, civic participation, preparation for emerging jobs, and new forms of global governance. Brazil is scheduled to host the next congress in September 2027.