Pope Francis has reiterated his call for an ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in his message to world leaders at the 2025 World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, saying AI must help human beings for the good of all, and never violate human dignity for the sake of efficiency.
In his address to the Chairman of the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Pope stated that AI raises fundamental questions about ethical responsibility, human safety, and the broader implications of these developments for society. “Human dignity must never be violated for the sake of efficiency.”
The 2025 World Economic Forum is themed, ‘Collaboration for the Intelligent Age’ which according to the Pope will provide a good opportunity to reflect on AI to bring people together, and not only for cooperation.
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According to Pope Francis, Christian tradition regards the gift of intelligence as an essential aspect of the human person created in the image of God. He further highlighted that the Catholic Church has always been a protagonist and supporter of the advancement of science, technology, the arts, and other forms of human endeavours.
The Pope stated further that 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.
“When used correctly, AI assists the human person in fulfilling his or her vocation, in freedom and responsibility,” Pope Francis stated, warning 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.
According to the Pope, 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, within the technocratic paradigm. “Yet human dignity must never be violated for the sake of efficiency,” Pope Francis reiterated.
According to him, technological developments that do not improve life for everyone, but instead create or worsen inequalities and conflicts, cannot be called true progress. Hence, AI should be placed at the service of a healthier, more human, more social and more integral development.
“Technological developments that do not improve life for everyone, but instead create or worsen inequalities and conflicts, cannot be called true progress,” the Pope stated.
The Pope in his prayer for the forum also advocated for an AI directed toward the good of all. He stated that as the application of AI and its social impact become clearer over time, appropriate responses should be made at all levels of society, 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.
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