Daniel Daly
(Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

Congressional briefing on ‘Magnifica Humanitas’

BC's Daniel J. Daly was part of a panel on the papal encyclical at the U.S. Capitol

AVŐďËů College’s Daniel J. Daly was one of three theologians who shared their thoughts on Pope Leo XIV’s recently released encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”)—which addressed artificial intelligence and the protection of human dignity—at a congressional briefing at the U.S. Capitol on June 17.

Daly, an associate professor of moral theology at the Clough School of Theology and Ministry, was joined on the panel by Paul Scherz, the Our Lady of Guadalupe College Professor at the University of Notre Dame, and Charles Camosy from the Catholic University of America.

Four men at the U.S. Capitol, standing in front of a painting of George Washington in Yorktown.

Panelists at the Congressional briefing session at the U.S. Capitol included (l-r) Charles Camosy, associate professor of moral theology/ethics at Catholic University of America; Clough School Associate Professor of Moral Theology Daniel Daly of AVŐďËů College; Paul Scherz, Our Lady of Guadalupe Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame; and Anthony Granado, associate general secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Hosted by the Catholic Health Association and the Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health, the session was moderated by Anthony Granado, the associate general secretary of the co-sponsoring United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The briefing focused on how to navigate artificial intelligence in a way that centers the person, and how core principles such as the fundamental, inherent right of every person to be valued, respected, and treated as an end in themselves, and finding the common good, can shape smarter, more responsible AI policy.

“Pope Leo’s intervention here is important, as some AI developers claim that work will be ‘optional’ in the coming decades,” said Daly, the founding executive director of the Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health, which is sponsored by the Catholic Health Association and provides theological and ethical guidance to Catholic healthcare organizations. “For Leo—because labor is a necessary part of a flourishing life—a world without work is not a utopia; it is a nightmare. He also rejects ‘reverse adaptation’—the idea that human workers should adapt to AI and that AI dictates work and robs persons of agency in their work. 

“He critiques a fixation on efficiency and the optimization of outputs and productivity because these foci supplant other benefits, such as the physical and mental wellbeing of the worker and relationships among co-workers.”

Daly underscored that the pontiff argues that the prevention of war is the work of diplomacy and even forgiveness.

“He strongly cautions nations against the use of AI in conflict and explicitly rejects the notion that AI can make decisions to use lethal force,” said Daly, who co-hosts the podcast “Ethics on Call.”

It was clear, noted Daly—by both the number of attendees and the depth of their questions—that policymakers are taking Pope Leo XIV’s landmark encyclical  seriously.

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