Vatican establishes commission on AI under Pope Leo XIV

The Vatican has established an Inter-Dicasterial Commission on Artificial Intelligence, approved by Pope Leo XIV, to coordinate work on the implications of rapidly advancing AI technologies.

The decision was formalised in a rescript dated 12 May and published by the Holy See Press Office on 16 May. The document refers to the acceleration of AI development and its widespread use, as well as its potential effects on human beings and humanity as a whole.

The rescript links the initiative to the Church’s concern for the dignity of every human being, especially in relation to integral human development. It says the commission was established by the Cardinal Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, with the approval of Pope Leo XIV.

The commission will include representatives from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Dicastery for Culture and Education, the Dicastery for Communication, the Pontifical Academy for Life, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

Coordination will initially be entrusted to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development for one year, renewable if necessary. The coordinating institution will facilitate collaboration and information exchange among participating bodies on AI-related activities and projects, including policies on AI use within the Holy See.

Why does it matter?

The commission shows that the Vatican is treating AI as a cross-cutting institutional issue linked to human dignity, social responsibility and internal governance. By involving several dicasteries and pontifical academies, the Holy See is positioning AI not only as a technological matter, but as a question affecting doctrine, communication, education, science, life ethics and integral human development.

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