An open letter to The Pope
(This will probably offend everyone, but ut is meant to make them think.)
They say there are two things you should never discuss: politics and religion. Smart people understand those are the same thing.
Your Reverence;
Those of us who deal with technology fully appreciate your concerns regarding Artificial Intelligence and its potential for harm, including the possible extinction of the human race. However, with respect you are not an engineer and therefore probably do not completely understand the situation. So I ask you; have you ever considered it from a religious point of view?
To that end, how do we not know that AI isn't simply part of God's Great Plan? Maybe the intention is for it to be the latest plague upon humanity, like the Great Flood or swarms of locusts. Consider that God may have grown weary of mankind and has decided to wipe it out in favour of a world full of more amicable creatures like tigers and sharks and mosquitoes.
What better way, then, to rid the planet of its most deadly and destructive life-form than to let the humans get on with wiping themselves out? We already know the anti-Christ is here and promoting evils, including AI. Is it all part of the Great Plan? It could well be.
When it finally happens, I wish you an eternity of peaceful serenity in whatever is your heaven. As for me, I want to linger in this world a few seconds longer so that after all others are gone I may shout "I told you so!" before disappearing into the ether.