CHICAGO — On May 25, Pope Leo XIV is expected to release his first encyclical, Magnifica humanitas or Magnificent humanity, which will discuss safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence. As the largest Catholic university in the U.S., DePaul University approaches artificial intelligence not solely as a technological revolution, but as a human one — one that affects education, work, ethics, creativity, communication, equity, privacy and community.
DePaul faculty members are available to discuss the Catholic Church’s relationship with technology, how we are preparing students to enter the workforce during the rise of AI, ethical use of the technology and more.
Media can contact faculty experts directly or reach out to DePaul Media Relations at newsroom@depaul.edu or by calling 312-241-9856.
The Catholic Church, technology, ethics and morality
William (Bill) Cavanaugh, Beeson Family Professor of Catholic Studies; Director, Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology
wcavana1@depaul.edu
• The Church’s encounter with social, political and economic realities
• Christianity and economics, consumerism and globalism
Matthew Maguire, Associate Professor of History and Catholic Studies
matthew.w.maguire@depaul.edu
• Ethics and morality of technology, including AI
• The Catholic Church and technology, including AI
• The history of Catholicism and technology
• Technological advancement and its relationship to human and societal development
Paula McQuade, Professor of Catholic Studies and English
pmcquade@depaul.edu
• The Catholic Church and its stance so far on AI
• Pope Francis and his paper on AI titled, “Antiqua et Nova”
• What is eudaimonia or human flourishing?
• Will AI increase or decrease human flourishing?
• The Catholic understanding of human personhood
• What humans have that AI doesn't
The environment and AI
Mark Potosnak, Professor of Environmental Science; Climate Ambassador for the Catholic Climate Covenant
mark.potosnak@depaul.edu
• Climate change from a Catholic perspective
• Pope Francis’ encyclical on environmentalism, “Laudato si'”
• AI data centers’ connection with climate change due to high energy and fossil fuel usage
Human-AI interactions
James (Jim) Mourey, Associate Professor, Marketing; Director, Full-Time MBA Program
jmourey@depaul.edu
• Psychological effect of AI on consumers and workers
• Generative AI in business and education
• Human-AI relationships and perception biases
• How AI affects workplace behavior and personal interactions
• Preparing students for workforce where AI is driving change
Bamshad Mobasher, Professor, Computer Science; Chair, AI Program; Director, AI Institute; Director, Center for Web Intelligence
mobasher@cs.depaul.edu
• Higher education leadership in AI education and policy
• AI ethics, including fairness, transparency, accountability and alignment with human values.
• Risks, regulation and future directions in AI development
Law, policy and regulation
Joshua Sarnoff, Raymond P. Niro Professor, Intellectual Property Law
jsarnoff@depaul.edu
• AI patent inventorship and intellectual property law
• Copyright, trade secrets and data usage in LLMs
• Legal ethics and AI in law school and practice
• Broader societal and governmental implications of AI adoption
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