The Vatican has been warning for years about the potential risks of the rapid development of artificial intelligence, and Pope Leo XIV has once again put the topic in the focus of international debate. In a message to the “AI4Peace“ conference, he stressed the need for technology to be developed in a way that promotes peace and unity, not division and conflict, News.bg reports.
According to Father Paolo Benanti, Vatican advisor on artificial intelligence, the Holy See has been considering the topic for years. He warns that the transformative effect of AI could lead to large-scale societal changes, the consequences of which are difficult to predict.
Leo XIV also points out that artificial intelligence has the potential to be beneficial to humanity, but at the same time creates new risks for security and international peace. The Pope calls for wise governance and international rules that limit the dangerous applications of the technology.
The Vatican's commitment to the topic predates the current pontificate. In February 2020, the Pontifical Academy for Life, Microsoft, IBM, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Italian government signed the “Rome Call for AI Ethics“. The document emphasizes transparency, responsibility, reliability, security and protection of personal data in the development and use of AI.
Even then, the Vatican insisted that artificial intelligence be developed for the benefit of humans, not as a tool for their gradual replacement. In the following years, the initiative also received support from representatives of other religions and international organizations.
Leo XIV also placed particular emphasis on the use of artificial intelligence in the military sphere. According to his position, the development of autonomous and other high-tech weapons requires international rules that guarantee human control and limit the risks to security and peace.