The Disquieting Misnomer in Artificial Intelligence (AI) : is it “artificial” or “algorithmic”?

Abstract

This article, a book review-cum-critique, raises the question: should AI be referred to as “Artificial Intelligence” or as “Algorithmic Intelligence”? The document under review, Antiqua et Nova, is issued by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Culture and Education (2025) and it explores the obtaining understanding of AI in relation to human intelligence. Antiqua et Nova sets out human intelligence as a composite of both intellectus—the intuitive grasp of truth—and ratio—the discursive reasoning process. It contrasts this composite with AI systems that rely primarily on statistical inference and pattern recognition; AI is devoid of true logical deduction and conscious understanding. Therefore, this review-cum-critique of Antiqua et Nova suggests replacing “artificial” with “algorithmic” for a more accurate signification of AI’s procedures. This seemingly semantic shift may better highlight the disparity between human intelligence—which integrates spiritual, cognitive, embodied, and relational dimensions—and AI’s purely computational operations. Beyond the definitions, the critique draws out some inferences for university lecturers: their primary responsibility is to engage students’ human intelligence—respecting their cognitive, embodied and relational, lived experience rather than examine AI outputs that may be presented in lieu of students’ intellectual work. And, from the affective domain, the critique cites the death of Sewell Setzer III, following interactions with an AI chatbot (as reported by The Guardian) to illustrate the danger of conflating algorithmic responses with genuine human connection. The critique concludes by reiterating Antiqua et Nova’s message: AI is a tool to serve humanity –not attenuate the richness of human intelligence– which perspective invites educators and all, to engage critically with AI while safeguarding human dignity.