Cardinal Parolin calls for international cooperation on AI regulation

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, called for international cooperation to establish common rules for governing artificial intelligence. Speaking on the sidelines of the "Faith and Reason in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" conference at the Italian Parliament in Rome on Sept. 16, Parolin expressed concern that some countries may attempt to regulate the technology independently rather than through a unified global approach.

Parolin noted that because artificial intelligence is a global phenomenon, it requires the participation of all nations and supranational organizations. He expressed support for a recent appeal by Italian President Sergio Mattarella regarding the responsibility of states to govern new technologies. While Parolin stated the Holy See's role is to present guiding principles rather than immediate technical solutions, he urged people to reflect seriously on the potential consequences and risks of using AI.

Addressing the ethics of the technology, Parolin told journalists that he does not use AI to draft his homilies, suggesting the technology lacks human emotion. This stance follows previous warnings from Pope Leo XIV, who advised priests against using artificial intelligence for drafting homilies during a meeting with priests from the Diocese of Rome in February.