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#Post#: 330371--------------------------------------------------
Pope Leo on AI
By: LabPartner Date: June 20, 2025, 11:13 am
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MESSAGE OF POPE LEO XIV
TO PARTICIPANTS IN THE SECOND ANNUAL CONFERENCE
ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, ETHICS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
June 17,2025
On the occasion of this Second Annual Rome Conference on
Artificial Intelligence I extend my prayerful good wishes to
those taking part. Your presence attests to the urgent need for
serious reflection and ongoing discussion on the inherently
ethical dimension of AI, as well as its responsible governance.
In this regard, I am pleased that the second day of the
Conference will take place in the Apostolic Palace, a clear
indication of the Church’s desire to participate in these
discussions that directly affect the present and future of our
human family.
Together with its extraordinary potential to benefit the human
family, the rapid development of AI also raises deeper questions
concerning the proper use of such technology in generating a
more authentically just and human global society. In this sense,
while undoubtedly an exceptional product of human genius, AI is
“above all else a tool” (POPE FRANCIS, Address at the G7 Session
on Artificial Intelligence, 14 June 2024). By definition, tools
point to the human intelligence that crafted them and draw much
of their ethical force from the intentions of the individuals
that wield them. In some cases, AI has been used in positive and
indeed noble ways to promote greater equality, but there is
likewise the possibility of its misuse for selfish gain at the
expense of others, or worse, to foment conflict and aggression.
For its part, the Church wishes to contribute to a serene and
informed discussion of these pressing questions by stressing
above all the need to weigh the ramifications of AI in light of
the “integral development of the human person and society” (Note
Antiqua et Nova, 6). This entails taking into account the
well-being of the human person not only materially, but also
intellectually and spiritually; it means safeguarding the
inviolable dignity of each human person and respecting the
cultural and spiritual riches and diversity of the world’s
peoples. Ultimately, the benefits or risks of AI must be
evaluated precisely according to this superior ethical
criterion.
Sadly, as the late Pope Francis pointed out, our societies today
are experiencing a certain “loss, or at least an eclipse, of the
sense of what is human,” and this in turn challenges all of us
to reflect more deeply on the true nature and uniqueness of our
shared human dignity (Address at the G7 Session on Artificial
Intelligence, 14 June 2024). AI, especially Generative AI, has
opened new horizons on many different levels, including
enhancing research in healthcare and scientific discovery, but
also raises troubling questions on its possible repercussions on
humanity’s openness to truth and beauty, on our distinctive
ability to grasp and process reality. Acknowledging and
respecting what is uniquely characteristic of the human person
is essential to the discussion of any adequate ethical framework
for the governance of AI.
All of us, I am sure, are concerned for children and young
people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their
intellectual and neurological development. Our youth must be
helped, and not hindered, in their journey towards maturity and
true responsibility. They are our hope for the future, and
society’s well-being depends upon their being given the ability
to develop their God-given gifts and capabilities, and to
respond to the demands of the times and the needs of others with
a free and generous spirit. No generation has ever had such
quick access to the amount of information now available through
AI. But again, access to data — however extensive — must not be
confused with intelligence, which necessarily “involves the
person’s openness to the ultimate questions of life and reflects
an orientation toward the True and the Good” (Antiqua et Nova,
No. 29). In the end, authentic wisdom has more to do with
recognizing the true meaning of life, than with the availability
of data.
In this light, dear friends, I express my hope that your
deliberations will also consider AI within the context of the
necessary intergenerational apprenticeship that will enable
young people to integrate truth into their moral and spiritual
life, thus informing their mature decisions and opening the path
towards a world of greater solidarity and unity (cf. ibid., 28).
The task set before you is not easy, but it is one of vital
importance. In thanking you for your efforts now and in the
future, I cordially invoke upon you and your families the divine
blessings of wisdom, joy and peace.
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