Pope Leo XIV is making the threat of AI to humanity a central issue of his legacy, challenging the technology industry that has been seeking the Vatican’s support for years.
The new American pope’s namesake, Leo XIII, advocated for the rights of factory workers during the Gilded Age, a time of rapid economic change and extreme wealth inequality led by corrupt industrial magnates.
Pope’s Address
Speaking to a gathering of cardinals recently, the pope stated that he would draw on 2,000 years of church social teaching to address the challenges posed to human dignity, justice, and labor by the new industrial revolution and advancements in artificial intelligence.
Vatican’s Position
In an effort to shape the Vatican’s discourse on AI and influence governments and policymakers, leaders from tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Cisco have visited the Vatican to advocate for the benefits of emerging technologies.
The Vatican has been advocating for an international treaty on AI, a move that most tech CEOs believe could hinder innovation.
