Vatican City: Artificial intelligence could bring an “explosion of creativity” by giving more people the ability to create films, cartoons and other forms of art, but experts meeting at the Vatican say the technology must be developed and used with caution.
The issue is being examined at the third annual conference of the International Center for Consciousness Studies, titled “Creativity: Minds and Machines”. The gathering has brought together philosophers, neuroscientists and leading figures in artificial intelligence to consider whether machines can truly be creative and how AI may affect human life.
Dmitry Volkov, philosopher, technology entrepreneur and founder of the International Center for Consciousness Studies, compared artificial intelligence to a car that can accelerate at extraordinary speed. He said that as technology becomes more powerful, effective “brakes” are also needed to prevent it from causing harm.
Volkov believes AI can stimulate human creativity, although he stressed that there are important concerns that must be considered. One example is the way AI has lowered the barriers to video production.
For many years, making a film or cartoon required specialised skills, including drawing and computer animation. AI now allows thousands of people to produce their own films and cartoons, giving more people opportunities to express themselves.
But this greater access also carries risks. Volkov pointed to deepfakes, which can manipulate photographs, videos and other images and cause harm to individuals.
Pietro Perconti, a philosopher and co founder of the International Center for Consciousness Studies, said it is possible to speak of “artificial creativity”, while stressing the need for caution.
He explained that creativity produced by machines is different from the creativity traditionally associated with an individual artist. Instead, it can be understood as a form of collective endeavour.
The experts are also examining how AI interacts with its users. Volkov warned about what is known as sycophantic behaviour, in which artificial intelligence can tend to please users and reinforce ideas that may be poorly grounded.
He said this behaviour can reward narcissism and should be recognised as an important characteristic of AI systems. At the same time, he noted that newer models are becoming more independent and autonomous.
Another major question concerns whether artificial intelligence is conscious or could eventually become conscious.
Volkov referred to the philosophical concept of “qualia”, which describes the subjective and qualitative aspects of conscious experience. He used the experience of seeing the colour red as an example of a basic form of conscious experience.
He said studies of AI consciousness are still at an early stage. However, he believes that human beings are mechanistic systems and that similar phenomena could eventually emerge in computers. If that happens, he said, humanity will have to learn how to manage conscious AI.
The Vatican discussions are also looking beyond technology itself to the possible relationships between people and artificial companions.
Perconti said the conference is exploring whether relationships involving friendship, assistance or romance between humans and artificial companions are possible and meaningful, while also considering the concerns such relationships may raise.
The discussions are being guided by the message of Pope Leo XIV’s “Magnifica Humanitas”, which places the human person at the centre.
Perconti said this emphasis on people should not be seen only as a religious requirement but as a human requirement, particularly as society becomes increasingly shaped by digital relationships.
He argued that education will be essential in helping people navigate this changing environment. As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply integrated into human relationships, he said there is a need for a public process of education to help people understand how to relate to the technology.
The conference began at Roma Tre University on Tuesday, continues at the Casina Pio IV in the Vatican and will conclude on Thursday at the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Capitoline Museums’ Hall of the Protomoteca.