Pope Leo XIV Urges Ethical AI Governance at 2025 Geneva Summit

At the 2025 AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the urgent need for ethical governance and global responsibility in the development and use of artificial intelligence. Delivered through a message signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope urged stakeholders—including developers, managers, regulators, and users—to ensure AI serves the common good, upholds human dignity, and respects fundamental freedoms. He highlighted the limitations of AI, noting that while it can perform complex tasks efficiently, it cannot replicate moral judgment or genuine human relationships. The Pope called for coordinated local and global regulatory frameworks centered on the human person, stressing the importance of addressing the ethical and anthropological implications of AI, especially as it autonomously adapts and makes technical algorithmic choices. He also emphasized the need to include underserved and rural communities, where billions still lack access to basic communication technologies, ensuring technological progress fosters inclusivity and equity. Drawing on St. Augustine’s concept of “tranquillitas ordinis” or the tranquility of order, Pope Leo XIV framed the ethical development of AI as essential to building peaceful, just, and humane social relations.