As the world reflects on Pope Francis’ legacy following his death last week, his leadership on social and economic justice is rightly being celebrated. But far less known—yet still profoundly prescient—is his visionary leadership on artificial intelligence. At a time of rapid technological advancement with few guardrails, Pope Francis emerged as the world’s leading moral voice, insisting that AI be developed and deployed with human dignity at its core. Today, AI is poised to reshape nearly every dimension of life—from work to governance to human relationships—at a pace few institutions are prepared to confront. In this context, Pope Francis’ moral guidance spoke beyond religious boundaries. Rooted in a deep concern for the common good, his message has resonated with policymakers, technologists, and citizens alike, regardless of religious belief or views on organized religion. Leading architects of the AI era—including Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and xAI CEO Elon Musk—have sought audiences with the pope, recognizing the need for ethical frameworks that match the power and reach of the technologies they are building. This essay focuses on one critical dimension of Pope Francis’ ethical approach to AI: his vision for the future of work. I draw on remarks that I delivered last month at a global convening at the Vatican. For two days, I joined 60 participants—judges, former government ministers, cardinals, academics, and policymakers—in the Vatican gardens to examine AI through the lens of justice, democracy, and ethics. As a researcher focused on AI’s impact on work and workers, I consider how Pope Francis’ teachings can guide a future where technological progress enhances, rather than diminishes, human dignity. His teachings challenge us to evaluate progress not by technical capability or profit, but by how well technology serves humanity—placing people at the center of innovation, not its margins.
The unexpected visionary: Pope Francis on AI, humanity, and the future of work
