Emerging digital technologies raise profound theological and philosophical questions concerning human agency, relationality, embodiment, and ultimate meaning. This scholarly panel brings together theological, philosophical, and educational perspectives to examine how artificial intelligence and neurotechnology are reshaping contemporary understandings of the human person.

The first contribution approaches human–AI interaction from the perspective of epistemic agency and moral responsibility. It argues that the increasing delegation of cognitive tasks to machines calls for a renewed account of human intellectual autonomy and ethical accountability.

The second paper focuses on the growing use of artificial intelligence in education. It warns that uncritical reliance on AI may foster alienation, weaken interpersonal relationships, and erode the ethical and emotional dimensions essential to human formation. Education, the speaker emphasizes, cannot be reduced to technical optimization, but remains fundamentally relational and value-laden.

The third contribution analyzes the impact of communication with AI on interpersonal relations, particularly the rising tendency to approach AI as a social actor. While acknowledging AI as a distinct form of intelligence, the paper stresses its non-subjective nature. It argues that the primary danger lies not in the exclusion of the human subject, but in its increasing invisibility as communicative orientation shifts away from persons and toward AI.

The final paper examines public campaigns of contemporary technology companies through the lens of religious symbolism. It suggests that promises of cognitive enhancement and healing often mirror narratives of salvation traditionally associated with religious faith.

Overall, the panel offers a philosophical-theological critique of technological imaginaries and calls for a renewed understanding of human dignity, agency, and relationality in the digital age.

Moderator:

• Luka Martin Tomažič, Associate Professor, Alma Mater Europaea University

Invited speakers:

• Vojko Strahovnik, Professor, Faculty of Arts, Department of Philosophy, University of Ljubljana; Faculty of Theology, University of Ljubljana
• Mateja Centa Strahovnik, Lecturer, Faculty of Theology, University of Ljubljana
• David Kraner, Lecturer, Faculty of Theology, University of Ljubljana
• Bojan Žalec, Professor, Faculty of Theology, University of Ljubljana
• Stjepan Štivić, Researcher, Faculty of Theology, University of Ljubljana