A groundbreaking study that explores the crucial intersection of Catholic Social Teaching (BST) with Artificial Intelligence (AI) titled “Human Dignity and Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: A Basis for a Catholic Ethics on AI” was recently published by Inst. Ivan Efreaim A. Gozum, MA of the UST Institute of Religion and Miss Chastene Christopher D. Flake of Angeles University Foundation. The December 27, 2024 article appears in the latest issue of Journal of Religion & Health, a quartile 1 Scopus journal published by Springer Nature.
The study examines the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies with healthcare, offering a unique perspective rooted in Catholic ethical principles, underscoring the need for AI to improve healthcare outcomes while safeguarding human dignity as well as the integrity and autonomy of medical practice.
In exploring how AI technologies such as machine learning and natural language processing are reshaping healthcare, the article tackles critical concerns such as data privacy, algorithmic biases, transparency, and the moral responsibilities of AI developers and healthcare practitioners. It also emphasizes the importance of preserving patient autonomy and informed consent. Drawing inspiration from Catholic teachings, the authors advocate for a patient-centered vision of care which can be applied in various areas of healthcare practice such as disease diagnosis, personalized treatment planning, robotic-assisted surgeries, and sophisticated health data management.
The article invites healthcare professionals, AI developers, and policymakers to collaborate on creating inclusive, equitable AI healthcare systems that respect the irreplaceable value of every individual person. The authors assert “The Catholic Church鈥檚 core tenet is that all people are endowed with intrinsic dignity by being born in God鈥檚 image and likeness. Therefore, healthcare AI should be developed and implemented in light of this notion. AI systems created with human dignity in mind would meet the demands placed by patients without treating them as less than data points or algorithms.”
The full article is available online in Journal of Religion & Health. To learn more, visit
