In a historic first, Pope Francis is set to attend the upcoming G7 summit in Puglia, Italy from June 13-15, 2024. The pontiff will participate in a working session focused on the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and the challenges it poses.
“It is the first time in history that a pontiff will take part in the workings of G7,” Meloni said in an address ahead of the meeting. She added that Pope Francis would be part of a working session on AI, describing the situation as one of “the greatest anthropological challenges of our time.”
– Georgia Meloni, Italian Prime Minister
As the rotating G7 president for 2024, Italy is hosting the gathering of leaders from the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Canada, and Japan.
Meloni described AI as “one of the greatest anthropological challenges of our time.” She emphasized the need for the Pope’s moral authority on establishing guidelines for the evolving technology to benefit humanity, and that he will be giving a decisive contribution that would pave the way for an ethical and regulatory framework to AI.
This summit marks the first time a pontiff will take part in G7 proceedings. Though the Vatican City State is independent, its location within Rome provides a geographic link to the host nation Italy.
Pope Francis has previously called for international cooperation to maintain human control over AI systems. He warned, “We cannot presume a priori that its development will make a beneficial contribution to the future of humanity and peace among peoples.”
The spiritual leader’s participation reflects the profound ethical implications surrounding AI capabilities like machine learning and autonomous decision-making. Other dignitaries engaged in AI policymaking may also be invited.
FAQ
Q: Why is Pope Francis attending the G7 summit?
A: Pope Francis will participate in a working session on artificial intelligence to provide moral guidance on the development of ethical AI frameworks.
Q: Has a Pope ever attended the G7 before?
A: No, this will be the first time a pontiff has taken part in G7 summit proceedings.
Q: What has the Pope said previously about AI?
A: Pope Francis has urged global cooperation to ensure human oversight and control of AI for the greater good of humanity.
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
