Cardinal Michael Czerny, who heads the Vatican's Commission on Artificial Intelligence, has admitted he has not yet used AI in his work due to a lack of time. He expressed a willingness to learn and a moral duty to gain personal experience with the technology.
The Vatican's engagement with AI is significant as the Church seeks to guide ethical considerations and societal impact of the technology. Acknowledging a lack of personal use by its leading cardinal highlights potential challenges in bridging the gap between policy-making and practical application of AI within religious institutions.
Cardinal Michael Czerny, the head of the Vatican's Commission on Artificial Intelligence, has revealed that he does not currently use artificial intelligence in his work, despite being appointed to the role in May. Speaking on the Brussels Playbook Week Ender podcast, Czerny stated, "No, not yet. I just haven’t had the time." He expressed a personal willingness and moral duty to learn and use AI to gain firsthand experience.
Pope Leo XIV appointed the Czech-born Canadian cardinal in May to lead the commission, which aims to align the Vatican's administrative offices in studying the impact of machine learning on humanity. Czerny, speaking on the sidelines of Axel Springer’s WELT AI Summit in Berlin, urged European politicians and bishops to engage more proactively with warnings about the risks associated with advanced AI models that could potentially diminish human control and oversight. He emphasized the need for a dialogue between bishops and European governments to address public concerns with openness and creativity, cautioning against future regret if action is not taken.
The Roman Catholic Church has been increasing its engagement in discussions surrounding the future of AI. Paolo Benanti, an AI adviser for the Vatican, recently participated in a meeting with tech executives organized by King Charles III in Scotland to deliberate on the opportunities and risks presented by AI technology.
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