A person holding a sign that reads 'Welcome to Wales / Croeso i Gymru'. Photo: Courtesy of welshgiftshop.com.
Crynwyr Cymru/Quakers in Wales: Linda Batten reports
‘We recognise the need to pause and consider.’
We began June’s Meeting with items common to many agendas. Those appointed from a good list of nominations included a group to plan for our 2028 Wales-wide residential.
There were many reports from groups, including those planning for the Eisteddfod, which has just taken place. Saturday was interesting, with the final of the choirs singing the entries for the Quaker-sponsored prize for composers. Like other Meetings, we have been encouraged to ‘read, reflect and respond’ to the draft of our new book of discipline when it is published in November.
Our Advocacy Support Circle created resources prior to the Senedd elections in May, and wrote to the new first minister after the election. These have been adapted for use at the Eisteddfod and for general outreach. The group is thinking about how to engage with the new Senedd members, including those with whom we might disagree.
We heard that the South Wales Area Meeting Environment and Sustainability Cluster will become an all-Wales Sustainability Network, and will report to us via our Advocacy Support Group. A Minute of record informed us that the records of Cyfarfod y Cyfeillion yng Nghymru/ Meeting of Friends in Wales, from inception to 2020, have been deposited with the National Library of Wales.
We welcomed Andrew Hughes Nind from the Just Algorithms Action Group for our afternoon session. He spoke on ‘How can Quaker testimonies illuminate our response to Artificial Intelligence (AI)?’ Taking each testimony in turn, Andrew highlighted ways in which we might think about and respond to AI in our daily lives and Quaker work. Much of what he said was sobering to hear as he outlined ways in which AI is already working that are not compatible with our testimonies. In the discussion afterwards there was some confusion about general screen and data use, and generative AI. We recognised that generative AI is based on problematic data and so generates biased outputs, often reinforcing racial, gender and other stereotypes. We questioned whether we want to give money to the often rich, right-wing people who are benefiting financially from generative AI. We noted that the Catholic pontiff has issued his first encyclical warning that AI risks deepening inequality, weakening human relationships, and concentrating power unless guided by ethical oversight.
Part of our Minute reads, ‘We recognise the need to pause and consider what has been shared today. We note that our Advocacy Support Circle [ASC] already plans to pick up some of these issues. We look forward to the ASC reporting back to us on their thinking. We need to pause adopting AI technology uncritically… We agree that [Crynwyr Cymru/Quakers in Wales] won’t use generative AI in our work.’
As ever, it was good to meet new people and catch up with old Friends, and to participate in a bilingual Meeting for church affairs.
