Entitled, “Human Freedom and AI: Jewish, Christian and Muslim Perspectives“, the conference was held on March 10 in cooperation with the Acton Institute and its Collins Center for Abrahamic Heritage. It expressed common themes about what it means to be human, the necessity of human community and relationships and how each of the Abrahamic faiths nourish these identities. It drew about 40 persons of mixed Abrahamic backgrounds.

After a brief greeting by Fr. James Loughran, SA and moderated by Dr. Taras Dzyubansky of Acton’s Rome office, a letter from Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue endorsing the event was read by Dicastery staff member Dr. Anna Maria Sclavo. In it, the Cardinal stated, “through your presence and engagement, you are contributing to humanity’s effort to shape its future in an age of Artificial Intelligence by reflecting on the wisdom transmitted through generations within the great religious traditions.”

The panel of six Jews, Christians and Muslims (one man and one woman each), including Rav Ariel Di Porto of the Great Synagogue of Rome and Imam Yahya Pallavicini, Chairman of the European Muslim Leaders Majlis, presented thoughts rooted in their traditions. At the end, Fr. Ken Ang of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross closed with a summary rooted in the teachings of Thomas Aquinas on human nature.