Vigilant Hope

An authentically Catholic perspective on artificial intelligence. 

Join Dr. Steven Umbrello as he explores the rise of AI in the modern world through a Catholic lens.

Artificial intelligence is changing the world at an incredible pace. It can help us solve problems, generate ideas, communicate, and accomplish tasks in seconds. Yet as these tools become more powerful and more deeply woven into our lives, they also raise difficult questions.

What do we stand to gain from AI? What might we lose? And how can we embrace the good these technologies offer without losing sight of what makes us uniquely human?

In Vigilant Hope: Preserving Human Dignity in an Age of Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Steven Umbrello offers an authentically Catholic perspective on the opportunities and challenges of AI.

Drawing on the wisdom of the Catholic tradition, including Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, Dr. Umbrello explores not simply what AI can do, but what it should do, and how we can ensure technology remains at the service of the human person.

Inside this book, you’ll discover:

• What artificial intelligence is and how it is already shaping our world
• The remarkable possibilities AI offers in medicine, science, communication, and beyond
• The ethical questions we must consider as AI takes on a greater role in human life
• What the Church teaches about technology and human dignity
• Why intellect, free will, conscience, and discernment cannot be replaced by a machine
• How to think clearly about the promises and risks of AI without fear or blind optimism
• What it means to ensure technology serves the human person rather than the other way around
• How to discern what AI can do, what it should do, and what we should continue to do ourselves
• How to approach the future of AI with wisdom, hope, and confidence

AI may be changing rapidly, but human nature and human dignity do not. Vigilant Hope equips you to navigate this new era with a clear understanding of what technology can offer and a renewed appreciation for what only the human person can bring.

“Artificial intelligence is changing the work we do, the answers we seek and the company we keep. Most of us are wondering what that means for our children and for ourselves. Vigilant Hope is a clear, balanced and hopeful guide through those questions. Steven Umbrello explains what these systems are and are not, is honest about the risks and fair to the benefits, and draws on the Church’s teaching, including Magnifica Humanitas. As someone who works on artificial intelligence for the Church, I am glad to recommend it.”

–Matthew Harvey Sanders
Founder and CEO of Longbeard, creator of Magisterium AI

“In his new book, Vigilant Hope: Preserving Human Dignity in an Age of Artificial Intelligence, Prof. Umbrello demonstrates two strokes of genius: one, his ability to explain in a simple yet effective way what the Church understands when She talks about the dignity of the human person; and, two, the profound power of telling a story. For an eminently readable and rich work of literature, Vigilant Hope should be on your reading list.”

– Fr. Philip Larrey

Professor of philosophy at Boston College

“Steven Umbrello’s lively narrative style in discussing the hot issue of AI and human identity should resonate with all who grasp that as humans being made in the imago Dei we cannot be replaced by machines no matter how sophisticated their algorithms. We are always and always will be infinitely more.”

– Paul O'Hara

Professor Emeritus of Ontology and Scientific Rationality at Sophia University Institute;  Former Chair and Professor of Mathematics at NEIU (Chicago); Co-author of Can AI Ever Be Human? Consciousness Explored (CUA 2026)