Pope discusses ethics of artificial intelligence with Microsoft chief

The Vatican says its Academy for Life would jointly sponsor a prize with Microsoft


Reuters February 13, 2019
Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith meets with Pope Francis at Saint Martha's House at the Vatican. PHOTO: REUTERS

VATICAN CITY: Microsoft President Brad Smith met Pope Francis on Wednesday to discuss the ethical use of artificial intelligence and ways to bridge the digital divide between rich and poor nations, the Vatican said.

The head of the global tech giant and the 81-year-old Roman Catholic leader, who once said he is a "disaster" when it comes to technology, spoke for about 30 minutes in the pontiff's residence.

The pair discussed "artificial intelligence at the service of the common good and activities aimed at bridging the digital divide that still persists at the global level", according to a statement.

Microsoft aims to make artificial intelligence mainstream

Smith, 60, told the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano in an interview that "strong ethical and new, evolved laws" were needed so that technological advances such as artificial intelligence do not fall into the wrong hands.

The Vatican said its Academy for Life would jointly sponsor a prize with Microsoft for the best doctoral dissertation in 2019 on the theme of "artificial intelligence at the service of human life".

COMMENTS (1)

Mustafa A. Hasan | 5 years ago | Reply somethings are not a joke - an individuals life has been lost and the way and manner we all know! they are way better things to make a joke of!
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ