Church communicators urged to discern lasting values amid AI advances

Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon told Catholic communicators to prioritize human dignity and lasting values as artificial intelligence changes how people share their faith. Speaking at the opening Mass of the 2nd Cebu Metropolitan Catholic Mass Media Congress on Oct. 3, 2026, the archbishop noted that AI can now create realistic words, photos, voices, and videos of things that never existed.

Alarcon, who chairs the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Social Communications, said these technological shifts create new responsibilities for media workers. He stated that Catholic communication must go beyond providing information to protect the dignity of the people behind every story or photograph. He urged delegates to be morally discerning and faithful rather than focusing solely on technical competence or speed.

The archbishop noted that while technology offers benefits, it can also lead to misinformation, cyberbullying, and online scams. He encouraged communicators to use these tools responsibly to build trust and ensure that faith and reason work together.