Pope Leo XIV has received the "Sphere of Humanity," a Murano glass sculpture presented by the charity Saint Peter for Humanity. The sculpture, which incorporates handwritten passages from the Pope's encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas," is part of the organization's initiative to safeguard human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence.
The presentation occurred during the Pope's General Audience in early September. Saint Peter for Humanity plans to convene 70 leaders in New York City to begin drafting the "Codex Humanitatis," an independent initiative aimed at establishing ethical guidelines for AI.
Olivier Francois, president and chairman of Saint Peter for Humanity, stated that the goal is to ensure AI serves people, protects human dignity, expands human potential, and advances the common good. The initiative seeks to define what must remain fundamentally human as artificial intelligence becomes more powerful and influential.
"We recognize the benefits of AI. We just believe again that there is another force that should belong to that conversation, that other force is humanity," Francois told Fox News Digital. "So the Codex Humanitatis, which is our initiative, starts from that simple idea. AI should serve people, protect human dignity, expand human potential and advance common good."
The "Sphere of Humanity" features four passages from Pope Leo XIV's encyclical, including the statement, "In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human."
In his May encyclical, Pope Leo XIV warned of AI's potential to become a tool of "domination, exclusion and death" if not carefully managed. He emphasized that each generation has the responsibility to shape its era to safeguard human dignity, promote justice, and enable fraternity, while acknowledging the risk of creating a more inhumane world.
"For AI to respect human dignity and truly serve the common good, responsibility must be clearly defined at every stage: from those who design and develop these systems to those who use them and rely on them for concrete decisions," the Pope wrote. He also noted the challenge of opaque AI processes that can hinder accountability and the correction of errors.
The Pope stressed that advocating for prudence and thorough evaluation of AI does not oppose progress but represents a "responsible care for the human family." He highlighted the need for robust legal frameworks, independent oversight, informed users, and political systems that do not abdicate their responsibility to govern AI's effects.
Saint Peter for Humanity's New York gathering will involve working groups focused on issues such as the future of work, accountability, information integrity, human oversight, and the protection of children and families. The draft principles from the Codex Humanitatis will then undergo a global consultation process before being refined into a final set of guidelines. The organization intends to engage governments, companies, and institutions to implement these principles, including through participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos.