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Catholic Colleges Address AI in New Academic Year
Confirmed
In Short: Catholic institutions are integrating artificial intelligence into their curricula and emphasizing its ethical implications.
Catholic colleges across the United States are tackling the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into their academic programs as the new academic year begins, with a focus on ethical considerations and preparedness for students. According to a study conducted on behalf of the Center for Catholic Studies at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, Catholic college graduates report higher levels of preparedness in dealing with AI compared to their secular counterparts.
The National Catholic Bioethics Center has partnered with the Catholic University of America to offer a master’s degree in moral theology and ethics, addressing the moral and ethical dimensions of AI. Additionally, the Diocese of Nashville’s Catholic Schools Office is raising awareness among families about protecting their children from AI risks.
Catholic universities like DePaul, University of Mary, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Benedictine College, and University of Dallas are emphasizing the importance of reflecting on the purpose of Catholic education before integrating AI. Stephen Hildebrand, a professor of theology and provost at Franciscan University of Steubenville, believes there is a place for AI in Catholic education.
Pope Leo XIII, in a recent audience with a delegation from Oriel College of the University of Oxford, encouraged academics to seek the truth courageously, citing the example of St. John Henry Newman, the first English saint of the modern era. Newman, who converted to Catholicism in 1845, is celebrated as a model of faith and scholarship, with the College of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Oxford commemorating its anniversary as an opportunity to honor his legacy.
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- “After three studies, we are seeing a remarkably consistent picture of what Catholic higher education contributes to graduates’ lives,” Jason King, Beirne chair and director of the Center for Catholic Studies at St. Mary’s University, said in the release.
- “A Catholic Family’s Guide to AI Safety,” DePaul University partners with the Vatican on sustainability, and more in this week’s education roundup.
- “As a Catholic, Vincentian university, DePaul recognizes that caring for our common home is inseparable from caring for one another,“ Robert L.
- And while the universities each have their own unique response (like Wyoming Catholic's profiled here ), colleges like University of Mary, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Benedictine College, and University of Dallas all believe that Catholic universities have an important role to play in the conversation about this new era of technology.
- When asked about AI in education, these Catholic academics emphasized that it is important to take a step back from the technology question and first reflect on the purpose of Catholic education.
- The 19th-century Oxford theologian who is the first English saint of the modern era showed "great trust that God would guide him despite the uncertainties of life," exemplified in his famous hymn "Lead, Kindly Light," the pope said, as he encouraged Oxford's current scholars to "seek the truth courageously" in their own academic endeavors.
- He lost many friends and was rejected by his family because of his conversion, but wrote that he experienced a deep interior peace, "like coming into port after a rough sea." He was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1847.