In a message to the 2025 World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, Pope Francis calls for the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence, which must help human beings for the good of all, and never violate human dignity for the sake of efficiency.
Human dignity must never be violated for the sake of efficiency.”
Pope Francis offered this reminder in his message to the Chairman of the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The Holy Father began by observing that the theme of this year’s Forum is “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,” which, he suggested, provides a good opportunity to reflect on artificial intelligence as a tool “not only for cooperation,” “but also to bring peoples together.”
The gift of intelligence
The Pope remembered that Christian tradition regards the gift of intelligence as an essential aspect of the human person created “in the image of God.”
At the same time, Pope Francis highlighted, the Catholic Church has always been a protagonist and a supporter of the advancement of science, technology, the arts, and other forms of human endeavours, “considering them to be areas of ‘collaboration of man and woman with God in perfecting the visible creation.’”
Unforeseen situations create risk
Since AI is intended to imitate the human intelligence that designed it, Pope Francis suggested this poses a unique set of questions and challenges, especially since this technology is designed to learn and make certain choices autonomously, and can provide answers not foreseen by its programmers.
For this very reason, the Pope said, AI raises “fundamental questions about ethical responsibility, human safety, and the broader implications of these developments for society.”
Assisting human person
“When used correctly,” the Pope commended, “AI assists the human person in fulfilling his or her vocation, in freedom and responsibility.”
As with all other human activity and technological development, he reminded, AI must be ordered to the human person and become part of efforts to achieve “greater justice, more extensive fraternity and a more humane order of social relations.”
Achieving this, the Pope reiterated, is “more valuable than advances in the technical field.”
The Holy Father warned against the risk that AI will be used to advance the “technocratic paradigm”, which perceives all the world’s problems as solvable through technological means alone. “Within this paradigm,” he explained, “human dignity and fraternity are frequently subordinated in the pursuit of efficiency, as though reality, goodness, and truth inherently emanate from technological and economic power.”
“Yet human dignity,” he underscored, “must never be violated for the sake of efficiency.”
Cannot worsen inequalities or conflicts
In this context, the Pope stressed that technological developments that “do not improve life for everyone, but instead create or worsen inequalities and conflicts, cannot be called true progress.”
“Technological developments that do not improve life for everyone, but instead create or worsen inequalities and conflicts, cannot be called true progress”
For this reason, he said AI should be placed at the service of a healthier, more human, more social and more integral development.
Diligence and vigilance
“Progress marked by the dawn of AI,” he insisted, “calls for a rediscovery of the importance of community and a renewed commitment to care for the common home entrusted to us by God.”
“To navigate the complexities of AI,” the Pope said, “governments and businesses must exercise due diligence and vigilance.” In this regard, he urged them to “critically evaluate the individual applications of AI in particular contexts in order to determine whether its use promotes human dignity, the vocation of the human person, and the common good.”
“As with many technologies,” the Holy Father who has spoken in various contexts about the pros and cons of AI cautioned, “the effects of the various uses of AI may not always be predictable from their inception.”
AI directed toward the good of all
“As the application of AI and its social impact become clearer over time,” the Pope stressed, “appropriate responses should be made at all levels of society,” which, he illustrated, requires “individual users, families, civil society, corporations, institutions, governments, and international organizations working at their proper levels to ensure that AI is directed to the good of all.”
“Individual users, families, civil society, corporations, institutions, governments, and international organizations must work at their proper levels to ensure that AI is directed to the good of all”
Pope Francis concluded by offering his prayerful good wishes for the deliberations of the Forum and invoking divine blessings upon all its participants.
The Vatican News
