Pope Francis on Friday urged leaders of the world's wealthy democracies to prioritize human dignity in the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI), warning that such powerful technology risks reducing human relationships to mere algorithms. Invited by host Italy to speak at a special session on AI at the G7 summit, Francis on Friday became the first pope to attend the summit. The pontiff urged politicians to ensure that AI remains human-centered, urging that important decisions be made by humans, not machines.
“The Bible says that God gave man the spirit to give him wisdom, intelligence and knowledge in every undertaking. Science and technology are therefore an amazing product of the potential at work within us human beings,” he said, adding: “It is an extremely powerful tool that is used in many fields of activity, from medicine to labor, culture to communication, education to politics.”
“It stands to reason that its use will increasingly influence our social interactions, our way of life and, in the future, how we understand our identity as human beings,” he further stated.
“If humans are forced to rely on machines' choices, if we deprive them of the ability to make decisions about themselves and their lives, we condemn humanity to a hopeless future,” Pope Francis said. “We need to ensure and safeguard adequate human control over the choices of artificial intelligence programs. The very dignity of the human person depends on it.”
Pope Francis sought to join a global call for greater regulation of AI given the proliferation of generative AI technology. The pope has previously called for an international treaty to ensure that AI technologies adhere to ethical standards, emphasizing the need for compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness in technological advances.
Pope Francis holds bilateral meetings at G7 summit
On the sidelines of his AI speech, Pope Francis held a series of bilateral meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and US President Joe Biden. He also met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
It is worth noting that the Vatican has previously taken a proactive stance on AI ethics, backing the “Rome Call on AI Ethics” in 2020, which was endorsed by major tech companies such as Microsoft and IBM.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed pride that the Pope will be attending a G7 summit for the first time. “It is a historic day. We welcome the Pope. It is the first time that the Pope will attend the G7. I am proud that this is happening under the Italian presidency,” Meloni said.
According to the Vatican, Pope Francis delivered the speech at 2:15pm local time, then met with key leaders, including IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and posed for a group photograph later in the day.
Also read on ABP LIVE | G7 Summit: PM Modi greets Pope Francis, receives welcome from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — Watch
