The Editor's Post: Jeroo Billimoria – and the Pope – on false idols
In his encyclical on AI, the pontiff warns against "idolatry of profit", while serial social entrepreneur Jeroo Billimoria argues only collaboration not individuals can deliver change. This week's view from the Pioneers Post newsroom.
I was delighted to discover this week that the Pope agrees with the Pioneers Post community on AI.
I must admit that I haven’t yet read it in its entirety, but Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, ‘Magnifica humanitas’, published on Monday, is a fascinating document.
In the extended letter to the faithful (which extends to 245 paragraphs, more than 40,000 words, plus footnotes) the Pope addresses one of the big social, environmental and philosophical challenges that much of the world is facing: the power of artificial intelligence.
Basing his argument on the importance of safeguarding human dignity and social justice, he emphasises that technologies should not be concentrated in the hands of the few, and that AI should be subjected to shared standards of social justice. “Otherwise,” he writes, “those who control AI will impose their own moral vision… A more moral AI is not enough if that morality is determined by a few.”
Later he highlights that “communities and intermediary organisations must not be reduced to passive recipients of decisions made elsewhere; they must be able to contribute to discernment and oversight”. And: “Ownership of data cannot be left solely in private hands but must be appropriately regulated.”
He warns against the “idolatry of profit that sacrifices the weak” and the idolisation of technological tools.
These are themes that we have been highlighting too. In our film, ‘The AI Dilemma’, and its accompanying podcasts, we explored some pioneering applications of AI with social entrepreneurs and dived into the ethical conundrums with global experts – including Taiwan’s cyber minister Audrey Tang. If you haven’t caught up with these fascinating conversations yet, now’s your chance, and we’d be interested to know your thoughts on what the Pope has to say too.
Also this week, we’re delighted that well-known serial social entrepreneur Jeroo Billimoria has shared her thoughts with us on the power of working together. Celebrating visionary founders is all very well, she says, but does it divert attention from the fact that real change comes from collaboration? She also lists her ‘five Cs of collaborative systems change’.
As people across the Middle East are suffering the effects of conflict, we wanted to know how the impact community was holding up. One of the region’s impact finance leaders, Jordan-based Andrew Gharaibeh Collingwood, tells us about the hope that’s uniting people, and the sense of urgency that’s continuing to push forward action. But, he says, some investors and donors need to rethink the conditions they attach to their financing.
I hope that you enjoyed Laura’s Impact Finance Bulletin which arrived in your inboxes yesterday. And if you didn’t yet find out what happened at the UK’s Global Partnerships Conference last week, her story is right here.
This week's top stories:
Opinion: ‘Stop idolising individuals; real social innovation is collective’
‘The resilience is Herculean’: Hope and solidarity shine out from Middle East impact community
Top image: Pope Leo XIV in 2025. Picture by Edgar Beltrán via Wikimedia Commons.
| Ready to invest in independent, solutions-based journalism?
Our paying members get unrestricted access to all our content, while helping to sustain our journalism. Plus, we’re an independently owned social enterprise, so joining our mission means you’re investing in the social economy. |
