Fort Portal bishop urges responsible use of AI, digital technology
Muhirwa said Christians should not believe or share everything they encounter online without questioning its source, context and purpose.
Bishop of Fort Portal Diocese, Robert Muhirwa awards Jonan Tusingwire (Writer) with a certificate during celebrations to mark World Social Communications Day in Kamwenge district. (Photo courtesy)
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The Bishop of Fort Portal Diocese, Robert Muhirwa, has urged parents, journalists and other technology users to use artificial intelligence and digital platforms responsibly, warning that their misuse can spread misinformation, mislead the public and weaken family relationships.
Bishop Muhirwa made the call on August 16, during celebrations to mark World Social Communications Day in Kamwenge district, held under the theme, “Preserving Human Faces and Voices in the Wake of Artificial Intelligence.”
He said the rapid growth of artificial intelligence had created opportunities for people to access and share information, but cautioned that the technology could also be exploited by people with ill intentions to mislead the public.
Muhirwa said Christians should not believe or share everything they encounter online without questioning its source, context and purpose.
He cited a video that had been circulated claiming to show the Pope making statements contrary to Catholic teaching, saying such content should be carefully scrutinised before being believed or shared.
“We have artificial intelligence. The Pope tells us to use these tools well and carefully. We should not take everything we see online as the pure word from the Bible,” he said.
The bishop's message was also directed at journalists from different media houses in the Fort Portal Diocese who attended the service.
He urged them to exercise professional responsibility when using artificial intelligence and other digital tools to gather, verify and share information.
Parents warned over screen time
Bishop Muhirwa also expressed concern about the growing amount of time children and adults spend on smartphones, televisions and other digital devices.
He said parents should be cautious about giving children unrestricted access to phones and television, particularly during school holidays when some parents use digital devices to keep children occupied while attending to other activities.
“I saw a young child whose thoughts were all on the phone, watching cartoons. The child was not paying attention to me,” he said.
The bishop said some parents had become so attached to their phones that they spent less time interacting with their children.
He recalled an incident in which a teacher asked a child what she wanted to become when she grew up, and the child responded that she wanted to become a smartphone because it was receiving more attention from her parents than she was.
“This is a warning to us. Let us be careful and give our children our time so that they don't feel they need to become smartphones,” he said.
Muhirwa urged parents to create time for meaningful interaction with their children instead of relying on smartphones, cartoons and social media to keep them occupied.
He also cautioned adults against spending excessive hours on platforms such as TikTok at the expense of family relationships and other responsibilities.
He said technology should serve people rather than control their lives.