Pope Francis will bring his call for the ethical development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) to the Group of 7 (G7) industrialized nations. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that Francis had accepted an invitation to attend the G7 Summit in Puglia in June, making him the first pontiff to participate in a G7 summit.
Meloni stated that Francis would take part in the session dedicated to artificial intelligence, emphasizing the pontiff's potential to contribute to defining a regulatory, ethical, and cultural framework for AI. Francis has consistently advocated for an international treaty to ensure ethical AI development and usage, as highlighted in his annual peace message this year.
Advancements in AI technology, exemplified by systems like OpenAI's ChatGPT, have garnered global attention for their human-like capabilities in text, photos, and music production. However, alongside fascination, concerns have emerged regarding the impact of AI on employment, privacy, copyright protection, and even human life itself.
The Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life has been actively engaged in promoting ethical AI development. It has led a campaign to encourage tech corporations, academic institutions, and NGOs to commit to a set of standards for the ethical use of AI. Notably, Cisco Systems recently became a signatory to this initiative.
During the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Capri, Italy, ministers highlighted the cybersecurity risks associated with AI. They acknowledged the importance of advancing efforts to ensure safe, secure, and trustworthy AI that prioritizes human-centric and human rights-based principles.
Pope Francis's participation in the G7 Summit underscores the significance of addressing ethical considerations in AI development and usage at the international level. His involvement is expected to contribute to the formulation of guidelines that prioritize ethical, regulatory, and cultural frameworks for AI deployment.
