Father and Joe E435: AI Without Fear—Tools, Trust, and the Human Heart

AI is powerful—but it’s not a person. In this episode, Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks cut through hype and fear to frame AI as a tool in service of human creativity and relationship, not a replacement for them. We explore how parents and educators can guide kids wisely, why presence beats perfection, and how prudent governance and virtuous use turn technology into a channel for love. Throughout, we hold the three lenses: honesty with self, charity with others, under a living relationship with God.

Key Ideas

Personhood vs. tools: AI can assist; it cannot love, intend, or take responsibility—only persons do.

Formation first: families, schools, and parishes can coach attention, boundaries, and creative habits so tech serves growth.

Create, then edit: let AI help with drafts or analysis, but keep the human voice, judgment, and accountability.

Presence > polish: prefer relational availability over endless “optimization”; use tech to free time for people.

Prudence and trust: welcome governance and guardrails; cultivate virtue so our choices—online and offline—reflect the Gospel.

Links & References

Holy See, Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith & Dicastery for Culture and Education, Antiqua et nova. Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence (Jan 28, 2025) — official Vatican text: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20250128_antiqua-et-nova_en.html

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Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, artificial intelligence, Antiqua et nova, Vatican AI note, human dignity, personhood, creativity, editing workflows, parenting, education, formation, attention, boundaries, prudence, governance, virtue, moral responsibility, presence over perfection, relationships, technology as tool, discernment, accountability, spiritual growth, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, Benedictine spirituality, practical spirituality, Catholic podcast, work and family life, ethics, builders of AI, trust and safety