Interview
With the rise and rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), questions of digital justice –while rarely receiving enough attention – are perhaps more pertinent than ever.
During a symposium on digital justice and AI accountability in Berlin, Germany, in mid-April, Hummel reflected on the issues from her perspective.
Over the course of two days, faith-based organizations and other civil society actors explored questions of how faith communities can advocate for a future of digital justice in an age marked by the rush towards ever more powerful digital technology and AI across all sectors of life.
The event took place against the backdrop of growing concerns that the development of AI takes too little account of basic questions of ethics, justice, and accountability, and with the stated need for a concrete advocacy and capacity-building framework for coordinated and collaborative action towards digital justice.
At UEM, Hummel works on issues of gender justice, diversity, and anti-discrimination, and reflecting on the question of digital justice in times of AI, she took note of the intersections between this issue and many of the core questions of how Christian and faith-based actors engage in advocacy.
“Many of our member churches work with marginalized groups, people who are exploited, women, children, Indigenous people, and we have noticed that more and more digitalization globally has come into this, so people who were affected before by exploitation, by sexualized abuse – this is now being exacerbated through AI, through digital forums and so on,” Hummel said.
“That's why it's become more and more of an issue for our member churches,” she added.
Calls for digital justice
The daughter of two pastors, Hummel explained that she grew up in many different countries, on several continents, and in different church contexts.
“That's how I got into working with the church and working in international, ecumenical, and mission organizations,” said Hummel.
In her current role, she said, “we advocate for the marginalized. We amplify the voices of those who are unheard. And that is our strength,” she underlined, noting that when it comes to digital justice, churches are in a unique position – being rooted in community, and at the same time, connected with those in power as civil society actors.
This, she explained, entails strong potential in calling for regulation and laws, and calling for those in power to protect or enable access for those who don't already have access to digital tools.
“And to protect those who are being exploited and protect those who are vulnerable also in the digital space,” she added.
The need for imagination
Hummel said, in today’s world, the fact that Christians dare still to speak with hope seems to take many by surprise.
“A lot of people that I am in contact with who are maybe not Christian, they are often surprised that we are hopeful, but I think… it's just something we do. We are a church, we are Christians, so we hope, we have hope,” she said.
For Hummel, as part of core Christian identity and the church’s mission in this world, the call to hope has a bearing on questions of digital justice, too.
“We believe that human beings are created in the image of God, and that we can create a just world the way God intended on this earth in promoting human rights and promoting environmental justice, protecting creation. And I think you need the power of imagination to do that,” she explains, noting that the alternative of becoming frustrated, or even resigned in face of the many terrible things that are happening in this world, is sometimes tempting.
“It's really important to be aware of it and to struggle against it and to advocate for those who need it, but at the same time also to keep that vision alive of what is possible, and we need imagination for that,” she stressed.
“It’s not always easy, but our source of strength is this belief that we can create a better world in God's image and fullness of life for all of creation,” Hummel reflected.
Christian faith, digital justice
“Often when people think about the digital realm, people are in a way not even considered to be an element of it – as if it were all automated, self-preserving, self-sustaining, self-improving, but people are affected both positively and negatively,” said Hummel, underlining the importance of not forgetting that for all the ways that advances in digital technology are positive and helpful, there are also people who are negatively affected by it.
“If we see ourselves as one, as one humankind, as we say in church ‘one body of Christ,’ then we cannot have all the benefits of AI and digital advancements while disregarding the other part of the body of Christ which is connected to us, who is maybe suffering because of it, or who does not have access to these advancements,” Hummel continued to stress.
While these concepts may not be new by way of Christian faith, “they are as valid when it comes to digital justice as they are for other justice issues. You cannot separate it from what we believe in any way,” she concluded.
