Pope Leo XIV tells UN: Confront AI misuse to promote human dignity

The pontiff sent a letter on July 8 to be read at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland.

Pope Leo XIV, drawing on his recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, has again called for dialogue on artificial intelligence (AI) while acknowledging the serious concerns that remain.

His remarks were delivered in a July 8 message sent through Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin to the participants in the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland. The annual summit is the primary platform for AI at the United Nations (U.N.), taking place this year from July 7–10.

In the message, the pontiff assured participants of the Holy See’s continued openness to dialogue with secular organizations on AI.

The letter, in explaining the aims of Magnifica Humanitas, stated that the pope had written this document as a result of conversations on AI with scientists, political leaders, and parents.

The letter also explained that the encyclical was born out of persistent concerns over AI misuse.

Magnifica Humanitas “was also impelled by troubling accounts of the potential misuses of algorithms and by the loss of human agency in critical areas,” the message stated.

The AI for Good Global Summit is an annual U.N. conference on artificial intelligence gathering academics, civil leaders, and industry leaders to discuss how to safely govern AI systems while maximizing its positive impact on humanity.

The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the U.N. in Geneva has also participated in the summit, publishing a statement on the need to increase human oversight over AI autonomous systems.

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