Foreign News
The Vatican Will Issue Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in All Its Offices – ZENIT
(ZENIT News / Rome, 06.29.2026).- Artificial intelligence is transforming economies, education, communication and even human relationships at a pace few technologies have matched. Convinced that such profound changes require not only technical expertise but also ethical discernment, the Holy See has taken another significant step by launching a coordinated effort to address the opportunities and risks posed by AI.
The newly established Interdicasterial Commission on Artificial Intelligence held its inaugural meeting on June 17 at Palazzo San Callisto in Rome’s Trastevere district, bringing together representatives from some of the Vatican’s departments. Created on May 16, the body is intended to strengthen cooperation among the various institutions of the Holy See that are studying, reflecting upon and employing artificial intelligence in their respective fields.
Participants included delegates from the Dicasteries for the Doctrine of the Faith, Culture and Education, Communication, and Promoting Integral Human Development, together with representatives of the Pontifical Academies for Life, Sciences, and Social Sciences. Their immediate objective was not to produce declarations but to compare ongoing initiatives, identify common priorities and begin shaping a coherent Vatican strategy for the responsible use of AI.
For its first year, the Commission will be coordinated by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Opening the meeting, Cardinal Michael Czerny identified four elements that, in his view, define the current moment: the unprecedented speed of artificial intelligence’s development, its far-reaching implications for human dignity, the increasingly constructive dialogue between the Church and the technology sector, and the influence of the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas on contemporary ethical reflection.
The discussion reflected a conviction that artificial intelligence cannot be viewed merely as a technical innovation. While participants acknowledged its enormous potential in fields ranging from scientific research to education and healthcare, they also stressed that the technology raises complex ethical, social, cultural and environmental questions requiring careful discernment.
Rather than beginning from scratch, the Commission is building upon several years of Vatican engagement with the subject. Participants recalled the international conference on AI ethics and the Rome Call for AI Ethics, launched in 2020, which encouraged governments, technology companies and academic institutions to promote artificial intelligence that respects fundamental human rights. They also referred to Pope Francis’ Message for the 2024 World Day of Peace, which examined the relationship between artificial intelligence, justice and peace, arguing that technological progress must always remain subordinate to the integral development of the human person.
During the meeting, a broad consensus emerged regarding the Commission’s dual mission. Internally, it will coordinate information-sharing and encourage reflection on the practical use of AI across Vatican institutions. Externally, it aims to become a point of reference for the many ecclesial, academic and scientific initiatives exploring the ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence.
Dialogue will be central to that mission. The Commission intends to maintain close contact with universities, researchers, technology companies and episcopal conferences around the world, recognizing that the Church’s contribution to the debate depends upon listening as well as teaching. Participants also suggested creating a dedicated website that would serve as a central platform for sharing projects, research and resources related to AI.
The Commission’s work will develop gradually. Among its first priorities are compiling a comprehensive inventory of AI-related initiatives already underway within the Holy See, gathering information on the principal concerns identified by individual Vatican institutions, and drafting guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence throughout Vatican offices.
These practical objectives reflect a broader vision that has become increasingly characteristic of the Holy See’s engagement with emerging technologies. Rather than approaching innovation with either uncritical enthusiasm or blanket suspicion, the Vatican seeks to evaluate technological progress through the lens of Catholic social teaching, asking whether new tools genuinely serve the human person, strengthen the common good and protect the dignity of every individual.
This perspective is particularly significant because the Church is not attempting to compete with technology companies in developing artificial intelligence: it seeks to influence the moral framework within which these powerful systems evolve. The Vatican argues that ethical reflection cannot remain an afterthought but must accompany innovation from its earliest stages.
The Interdicasterial Commission is scheduled to meet again in mid-July. Although still in its formative phase, its creation signals that the Holy See intends to play an active role in one of the defining debates of the twenty-first century: ensuring that artificial intelligence remains a servant of humanity rather than its master.
Thank you for reading our content. If you would like to receive ZENIT’s daily e-mail news, you can subscribe for free through this link.
