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Pope Leo’s message, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin,
to the ‘AI for good global summit 2026″ (Geneva, 7-10 July 2026)
Introduction: The 2026 AI for Good Global Summit aims to identify practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI) that can accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) and connect AI innovators with public and private sector decision-makers to help scale AI solutions globally.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) organizes the AI for Good Global Summit in partnership with 50 UN sister agencies and co-convenes it with the Swiss Government.
The summit is designed to generate ‘AI for Good’ solutions that can be implemented in the near term and is guided by its multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder audience.
The Summit also prioritizes networking, experiences, and matchmaking to stimulate collaboration efforts and ensure the trusted, safe, and inclusive development of AI technologies as well as equitable access to their benefits.
Pope Leo’s message:
His Holiness Pope Leo XIV extends cordial greetings to all participants of the AI for Good Global Summit 2026, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in partnership with other UN agencies and co-hosted by the Swiss Government.
As you convene to reflect on AI and the major questions it raises about the future of humanity, the Holy Father assures you of the Holy See’s presence and openness to dialogue, especially at this pivotal moment.
In his recent encyclical letter, “Magnificent Humanity,” which is dedicated to safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), Pope Leo XIV expressed his desire to engage in dialogue with all men and women of our time. He hopes to “identify new paths for the common good and promote a dignified life for all.”
Magnifica Humanitas was born from his listening “to scientists and engineers who work with sincere enthusiasm on technologies capable of alleviating immense suffering; to political leaders and public officials who have perseveringly sought just rules; and parents and teachers who are deeply concerned for the future of younger generations”.
At the same time, however, it was also driven by troubling accounts of potential algorithmic misuse and the loss of human agency in critical areas.
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Pope Leo previously promulgated his encyclical letter “Magnifica humanitas” with the following remarks:
“At pivotal moments in history, the Church is tasked with interpreting ‘new things’ in light of the Gospel and human dignity.”
One hundred thirty-five years ago, my venerable predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, observed the plight of factory workers and their families who had been uprooted, as well as the new forms of poverty generated by rapid industrial transformation.
He realized that the Church could not remain indifferent. At a pivotal moment threatening human dignity, the encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the “new things” underway with an evangelical and social message.
Today, we are facing a transformation of similar magnitude with perhaps even greater consequences.
Artificial intelligence is already touching many areas of our lives and affecting decisions that shape human coexistence.
AI is also dramatically changing how war is waged.
As with the earlier Pope Leo, I feel entrusted to witness another significant transformation with the eyes of faith, the lucidity of reason, an openness to mystery, and the cries of the poor and the earth resonating in my heart.
Magnifica Humanitas was born from the same kind of listening that Leo XIII did.
I have listened to scientists and engineers who work with sincere enthusiasm on technologies capable of alleviating immense suffering.
I have listened to political leaders and public officials who have perseveringly sought just rules.
I have listened to parents and teachers who are deeply concerned for the future of younger generations.
I have also heard troubling reports about increasingly autonomous weapons systems that are practically beyond the reach of humans to govern effectively.
I have heard troubling accounts of algorithms that can deny access to healthcare, employment, and security based on prejudiced and unjust data.
I have also heard the silence of those who have no voice when decisions are made – decisions that are likely to generate new forms of exclusion and suffering.
From this listening, a disturbing conviction matured and was expressed in Magnificat Humanitas: artificial intelligence must be disarmed.
I know the word is strong, but it was deliberately chosen because this moment requires words that can attract attention, awaken consciences, and indicate paths forward for humanity.
Aware that every great technical power can affect people’s lives, the Church has long worked for nuclear disarmament, believing that such power must be accompanied by adequate moral discernment and public control.
Nuclear disarmament continues to be a service to peace and the dignity of the human family.
Similarly, artificial intelligence must be “disarmed” and freed from the logic that turns it into an instrument of domination, exclusion, and death.
Like nuclear energy, AI must serve all people and the greater good.
Decisions about technology must always be guided by conscience and responsibility.
The Apostle Paul admonished
“Let us not sleep as others do but let us keep awake” (1 Thessalonians 5:6).
Such vigilance is necessary today.
Peace is justice at work, not merely the absence of war.
However, when technology dulls our critical thinking, peace itself is at risk
Disarming, however, is not enough. We must build.
The word “build” reminds me of my years as a missionary in Peru.
In 2017, the northern part of the country was hit by torrential rains and floods. Many families lost their homes to mudslides, and many roads were destroyed.
There, I learned that rebuilding means more than simply replacing what has been destroyed. It also means repairing bonds, restoring trust, and reawakening hope for the future. Furthermore, no one rebuilds alone.
In Magnifica Humanitas, I recall the biblical prophet Nehemiah.
Before the ruined walls of Jerusalem, he gathered discouraged people to bring about a rebirth.
Rather than legitimizing closures or divisions, the image of walls invites everyone to do their part. Brick by brick, a more just coexistence capable of safeguarding the dignity of all takes shape.
Nehemiah’s efforts speak to our time.
Artificial intelligence can be a construction site of history within a horizon of communion, where technical progress serves human life.
St. Paul warns “Let each builder choose with care how to build” (1 Cor 3:10).
He is not afraid of the worksite; rather, he warns against building without solid foundations.
Let’s not fear artificial intelligence, but rather, constantly consider the role of humanity.
We mustn’t be careless with our most powerful technical instruments.
True development concerns “each person and the whole person.”
“Each” means that no one can be left on the margins of digital transformation. “Whole” means that no one can be reduced to productivity, cognitive performance, or mere data.
Each person possesses an inherent freedom, interiority, and vocation to love and worship that cannot be replicated or obstructed by machines.
Only with an integral vision can we direct artificial intelligence toward the common good.
Together—those who design systems and those affected by them, richer and poorer countries, institutions and individuals, and power centers and peripheries—we can build a future for the entire human family, not just a privileged few.
This is the civilization of love that St. Paul VI spoke of, and that St. John Paul II proclaimed as a goal to strive for together.
It is not a naive dream. Rather, it is a direction.
It is the path that Jesus Christ opens within history
For this reason, the Church humbly and frankly wishes to participate in conversations about artificial intelligence.
We do not have technical answers, nor do we seek to replace experts in the field.
However, we offer a wisdom about humanity that our time desperately needs: every person is unique and irreplaceable. Each person is a free and intelligent being with a conscience who is capable of seeking God, serving others, and caring for our common home.
I therefore invite all members of the Church and of the human family: let us learn to listen to one another, face the present challenges with courage, and work together to build a more humane and fraternal society.
As you leave the launch of Magnificat Humanitas, take with you a commitment to stay awake and continue building the worksite of our time as “artisans of hope.”
May the Spirit of the risen Lord Jesus sustain our collaborative efforts.
I entrust each of you to our Mother Mary.
In her Magnificat, she sings of God’s greatness in uplifting the lowly.
May she teach us to recognize the true greatness in each person. in loving and serving.
May the Lord bless the great enterprise we entrust to his grace and allow the civilization of love to flourish.
I heartily invoke God’s blessing upon all of you.
Pope Leo
