Cardinal Mendonça Warns 1 Rome Conference Deepfakes Can Damage Society
Updated
Updated · ewtnnews.com · May 21
Cardinal Mendonça Warns 1 Rome Conference Deepfakes Can Damage Society
6 articles · Updated · ewtnnews.com · May 21
At a May 21 Rome conference, Cardinal Jose Tolentino de Mendonça said AI deepfakes distort "the grammar of human encounter" by putting false words in a person’s mouth.
He warned that such manipulation can harm individuals directly and also erode the social, cultural and political fabric of societies when technology exploits people’s need for relationship.
The conference — themed "Preserving Human Voices and Faces" — gathered professors, journalists and engineers, with Vatican officials stressing the aim is to guide digital innovation rather than stop it.
Days before Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, Bishop Paul Tighe said the document will push critical reflection on AI and open dialogue to keep the human person at the center.
As the Vatican's AI encyclical looms, will its call for dignity derail the tech industry's race for profit?
With deepfakes growing more powerful, can the Vatican's new commission forge a global treaty to control them?
Magnifica Humanitas 2026: The Vatican’s Global Call to Defend Human Dignity Against AI and Deepfake Threats
Overview
The Vatican is taking a proactive stance on the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence, especially deepfakes, due to their threat to authentic human interaction. As a central moral voice in the global AI ethics debate, the Holy See is set to release Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, 'Magnifica Humanitas,' on May 25, 2026. This landmark document, which the Pope will present personally, focuses on protecting the human person in the age of AI. Through this initiative, the Vatican aims to guide society in safeguarding human dignity and truth as technology rapidly evolves.