Snowbirds Living in the Philippines : American-Peruvian New Pope Leo XIV is AI Savvy

Saturday, May 10, 2025

American-Peruvian New Pope Leo XIV is AI Savvy

The last 6 days, I have been posting in my blogs, how I am enjoying four AI applications in my blogging and writing activities. I posted the replies from ChatGPT, PerplexityAI, ClaudeAI and GrokAI on my query, WHO IS David B Katague.  Each reply is slightly different but accurate except for the reply from ClaudeAI.  So today, I was surprise to read that our new pope early talk in his first few days of papacy is about AI that I am reposting as follows:   

The new Pope, Leo XIV, has made artificial intelligence (AI) a central theme in the early days of his papacy. In his first formal address to the cardinals on May 10, 2025, Pope Leo identified AI as one of the most critical challenges facing humanity today. He emphasized that developments in AI pose significant questions for the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor, drawing a parallel to the social upheavals of the first industrial revolution addressed by his namesake, Pope Leo XIII.

Pope Leo explained that he chose his papal name to signal continuity with Leo XIII, who is remembered for his encyclical “Rerum Novarum,” which addressed workers’ rights and social justice amid the industrial revolution. Leo XIV sees the current era-marked by rapid technological and AI advancements-as a new kind of industrial revolution, requiring the Church to update and apply its social teachings to defend vulnerable populations and uphold ethical standards.

He also reaffirmed his commitment to the priorities of Pope Francis, including inclusivity, attention to the marginalized, and the ongoing reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Like Francis, Leo XIV warned that unchecked AI could threaten human relationships and dignity, and he echoed calls for international regulation to ensure AI remains human-centered and guided by values such as compassion, morality, and forgiveness.

In a particularly strong statement, Pope Leo warned that if the Church remains silent about AI’s dangers, the consequences for humanity could be catastrophic, urging the Church to take a leading role in the ethical discourse around AI before it is too late.

Meanwhile enjoy this photo from my collection: 

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Joys of Retirement

I have been retired from USFDA since 2002. At first, I feel I have lost my identity as an individual or have lost my contribution to society. However, within a few weeks all these feelings were gone. It started when my wife and I started baby sitting one of our grandchildren. As some economics professor states: "Your children are your capital investments, but your grandchildren are your profits. That is why you love your grandchildren more than your children". I really agree with the statement. Retirement also gives you lots of time to do things you like to do, such as your hobbies and of course travel. In my case, I turned my hobby of gardening and landscaping into a small business in the Philippines. This endeavor was planned about five years before 2002. That year my wife and I started construction of our retirement home in Boac, Marinduque , Philippines. The next year we built a beach house, followed by a Conference Hall two years later. Needless to say, planning and executing the landscaping was a challenge and very enjoyable. With the help of local labor, I not only enjoy the time gardening and landscaping, but also help improved the economic situation of the province by providing work and jobs to the local residents. With plenty of time, I have engaged into two specific activities as follows: First, I created a website for my small business. By trial and error, I created and design the website, www.chateaudumer.com I have never been a computer nerd or expert. But with plenty of time and patience, the fruits of my labor could be enjoyed if you visit the website above. The second activity, I have not done before was to utilize on-line activities, such as shopping, paying bills ( save you stamps) and playing computer games in the Internet. I really enjoyed playing duplicate bridge on line. You play with players all over the world and can chat in between games. But be careful, you are not spending too much time in the computer. It is very addictive. With a lots of time, my wife and I devoted more time on our favorite humanitarian project. For the last 15 years, we have been involved with medical mission to the province of Marinduque. For details please visit the website: www.marinduqueinternational.org As a summary, the joy one gets on retirement is very specific for an individual. Some enjoy their free time by learning new activities, getting involved with humanitarian projects or spending more time with their grandchildren. Others hate it, since they missed their former jobs and co-workers. Others with no children still enjoy retirement by traveling, turning their hobbies into business or more community involvement. Of course those that retire and hate it, is believe to die earlier than those that enjoy their retirement years. So, plan your retirement as early as you can. The happier you are on retirement, the longer you will live.