ALFA Field Notes

Pope Francis’ AI Legacy

As the world mourns Pope Francis, who died yesterday at 88 after a lengthy struggle with respiratory illness, it's worth revisiting the January 2025 Vatican Note "Antiqua et Nova" on artificial intelligence.

This landmark document established a robust Catholic framework for understanding AI that now stands as part of Francis' intellectual legacy. Its timing—released just weeks before his final hospitalization—takes on added significance as the world reflects on his papacy.

The Vatican's central argument in "Antiqua et Nova" couldn't be more aligned with America's strategic imperative: artificial intelligence must remain fundamentally human-centered. Where the Note draws a theological line between human intelligence (as part of the imago Dei) and machine function, America's approach must similarly distinguish between technology as a tool and technology as an end in itself.

Francis' insistence that AI must be "ethically grounded, transparent, accountable" provides a values framework that transcends religious boundaries—one that speaks directly to America's need for AI systems free from ideological bias or authoritarian strictures. Just as the Vatican rejected functionalism that reduces human value to productivity, American AI development must similarly recognize the primacy of the individual and our liberties.

As the AI race with China accelerates, operating within this ethical framework plays to America’s competitive strengths. While Chinese AI development remains embedded within authoritarian control structures, Western firms adopting a human-centered approach unlock innovation precisely because they build with and for human flourishing.

Francis' legacy now includes this clear call: technology must serve human dignity, not eclipse it. America's technological leadership, if guided by similar principles, can achieve dominance precisely because it empowers rather than diminishes the human person.

Just Do Build It

A couple editions ago we highlighted an essay written by Anduril co-founder Trae Stephens on the role robots must play in the reshoring of American manufacturing — including America’s beloved sneaker industry.

Today, the Wall Street Journal has a piece out chronicling the challenges of past efforts by some of the sneaker bigs such as Nike, Under Armour (a sneaker big at the time), and Adidas (Stephens’ piece acknowledged Adidas abandoned its speedfactory in Atlanta, although he mentions they did so too early).

Immediate reactions to this piece might be that robotic production of goods with pliable components are too hard to be automated. But it’s noteworthy that these efforts initiated ten years ago — just when OpenAI was founded, two years before Anduril started, and predating myriad industrial technology companies that are reshaping the modern factory. So while the projects were mothballed in 2019 — it’s likely a restart could yield different results. Leaders of the past projects from Nike and Flex seem to think so. Though, they say it won’t be easy. But worthy projects are often hard.

Would a line of American-made Dunks inject much needed enthusiasm into a storied American brand whose own CEO acknowledges has lost its edge? We think it might. But don’t take our word for it. Just ask New Balance, which has seen a surge of increased market share off of their “Made in the U.S.A” product line.

Chatbots + Classroom Instruction = Student Advancement

The Washington Post is reporting this morning that the Trump administration is considering an executive order to integrate AI into America’s classrooms. According to the post, “Federal agencies would be instructed to take steps to train students in using AI and to incorporate it into teaching-related tasks under the draft order. The agencies would also be asked to partner with the private sector to develop relevant programs in schools.”

The inclusion of AI into the classroom was the subject of recent hearing at the Education and Workforce Committee. Subcommittee Chair, and former high school teacher, Kevin Kiley, said this at hearing on the opportunity AI presents to our students:

"It [AI] has the potential to give every child in America a richer educational experience than any child in America had just a few years ago. It can give every teacher in America a greater ability to reach students than any teacher did in the past. It can empower parents to follow their child’s progress and guide it accordingly.

“This is no small matter; studies have shown that just a year of high-dosage tutoring can add up to a full two years’ worth of additional learning gains. 
 
"Yet this is a very special kind of tutor: one that is available any time of day, for unlimited amounts of time, and that can’t be stumped by any question. It’s a tutor that is thoroughly familiar with a student’s strengths a weaknesses and baseline knowledge, enabling personalized instruction that compels critical thinking without giving away answers. Perhaps best of all, this tutor is low-cost or free. 
 
"For most of history, access to this kind of tutor would be completely unthinkable. Yet AI has made it commonplace. These tools can customize the learning experience for each student, adapting their content, pace, and learning style to the student's performance and preferences. They can also bring learning to life in new and dynamic ways: learning physics from Albert Einstein or engaging in a dialogue with a fictional character when studying a work of literature.
 
"We are already seeing AI widely adopted by students in limited ways. Nearly 50 percent of K-12 students use ChatGPT at least weekly. Of the students who use AI, 35 percent frequently use it to summarize information, 32 percent to generate ideas for assignments, and 26 percent to get initial feedback on their work. The question is not whether students will use AI – that’s already happening. Rather, the question is how schools can support students in using AI responsibly and in unlocking its full potential to advance student achievement.
 
"And it’s not just students who stand to benefit. AI can empower teachers and school leaders to fulfill their vision for their classrooms and to connect with students in the highest-impact ways. AI tools can help with tasks like lesson-planning and grading, and can free teachers to focus on the aspects of education that only a caring human can provide.”