Spanning multiple decades and contentious geopolitical eras, Kissinger's interactions with the Vatican reveal a tapestry of discussions and alliances.

In a notable instance in 1975, Kissinger was involved in a four-way conversation with Pope Paul VI, Archbishop Agostino Casaroli and US President Gerald Ford.

Kissinger, then the US Secretary of State, held a pivotal presence as the group discussed multifaceted issues ranging from the Middle East conflicts to European politics.

Records from the conversation shed light on Kissinger's rapport with the Vatican.

Paul VI referred to him as an "old friend," hinting at previous encounters that rose above mere diplomatic formalities.

Counsellor to popes

While Kissinger is best known for having the ear of presidents, he was also often a counsellor to popes.

His first meeting with Pope John Paul II came during a private audience in 1979. However, the meeting didn't occur under the most favourable of circumstances. Kissinger opined the choice of a Polish pope was a provocation to Moscow and might not be "good for humanity".

Despite initial reservations about Pope John Paul II's election, Kissinger's relationship with the pontiff blossomed. It led to frequent interactions over a quarter-century.

Kissinger's interactions with subsequent popes, including Benedict XVI, further underlined the depth of his engagement with the Vatican.

The German pontiff and the German-born Henry Kissinger had a very strong relationship. Such was their understanding that Benedict reportedly asked Kissinger to serve on an unofficial council of foreign policy advisors. The Vatican subsequently denied the rumour.

Kissinger AI warning

"The German philosopher Emmanuel Kant wrote an essay in the eighteenth century in which he said someday there will be universal peace. The only issue is whether it will come about by human insight or by catastrophes of such a magnitude that we have no choice" Kissinger told a meeting of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in 2007.

"He was right then, and he is right today, although some of us may add that it may take some divine guidance and not just insight to solve the problem" Henry Kissinger said.

Until his passing, Kissinger stayed abreast of global developments. His insights remained sought after, delving into contemporary topics like the advent of Artificial Intelligence. He cautioned against its potential for catastrophic peril, emphasising the grave dangers it could pose.

Sources

Crux Now

CathNews New Zealand

Kissinger spent much of his career thinking about the dangers of nuclear weapons but, at 99, he is concerned the powers of AI could be far more devastating than even the biggest bomb.

Mr Kissinger's warning is a sign of the growing global concern about the power of "thinking machines" as they interact with global business, finance and warfare.

In his book, "The Age of AI and Our Human Future," which he co-authored in 2021, Kissinger argues that AI will have sweeping implications for militaries, altering doctrines and battle tactics and influencing the global balance of power.

Kissinger cautioned that AI systems could transform warfare just as they have chess or other games of strategy, as they are capable of making moves that no human would consider but that have devastatingly effective consequences.

"What I'm talking about is that in exploring legitimate questions that we ask them, they come to conclusions that would not necessarily be the same as we — and we will have to live in their world," Kissinger said.

AI concerns compared to nuclear weapons

He called on the leaders of the United States and China, the world's tech giants, to begin an urgent dialogue about how to apply ethical limits and standards for AI.

Kissinger's concern about AI has been compared to the crisis of unknown risks that surrounded the development of nuclear weapons during the second half of the 20th century that required international coordination to rein in.

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett also expressed concern about the potential dangers of AI during the company's shareholder meeting last week, stating that it could be compared to the development of the atomic bomb because "we won't be able to un-invent it."

Kissinger remains optimistic about the ability of humanity to limit the destructive capabilities of AI when it's applied to warfare, stating that if we don't solve the issue, it could literally destroy us and that we have no choice but to address it urgently.

Sources

Washington Post

Fortune

CBS News

He says "for all its achievements, it runs the risk of turning on itself as its impositions overwhelm its conveniences.

"Beyond factual questions ("What is the temperature outside?"), questions about the nature of reality or the meaning of life raise deeper issues," he says.

Kissinger, writing in The Atlantic, said he was on the verge of skipping a session on artificial intelligence when he was attending a conference on transatlantic issues, "but the beginning of the presentation held me in my seat.

"The speaker described the workings of a computer programme that would soon challenge international champions in the game Go."

Go is a game which is more complex than chess.

The speaker explained that the machine learned to master Go by training itself through practice.

"In the process, it exceeded the skills of its human mentors."

The fact that artificial intelligence could become our teacher disturbs Kissinger.

But "Do we want children to learn values through discourse with untethered algorithms?" he asks.

"Should we protect privacy by restricting artificial intelligence's learning about its questioners? If so, how do we accomplish these goals?"

Kissinger says the flood of information and the opinions of multitudes provided by social media are also diverting people from introspection.

"In truth, many technophiles use the internet to avoid the solitude they dread.

"All of these pressures weaken the fortitude required to develop and sustain convictions that can be implemented only by travelling a lonely road, which is the essence of creativity," he says.

Kissinger believes the emphasis on speed inhibits reflection and empowers the radical over the thoughtful.

Its values are shaped by subgroup consensus, not by introspection.

These are some of the other questions he poses:

• How is consciousness to be defined in a world of machines that reduce human experience to mathematical data, interpreted by their own memories?
• Who is responsible for the actions of AI?
• How should liability be determined for their mistakes?
• Can a legal system designed by humans keep pace with activities produced by an artificial intelligence capable of outthinking and potentially outmaneuvering them?

Source

• theatlantic.com
• realclearpolitics.com
• Image: beencrypted.com