The Vatican and Microsoft discuss ethics and AI

At a meeting held on 13 February 2019 in the Vatican, Pope Francis and Microsoft President Brad Smith discussed, among other issues, the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI). The discussions revolved around ‘AI at the service of the common good and activities aimed at bridging the digital divide that persists at the global level’. It was announced during the visit that Vatican’s Academy for Life and Microsoft would co-sponsor a €6000 prize for the best doctoral dissertation in 2019 on the theme ‘AI at the service of human life’.