Holy See: Robust governance on AI is needed to ensure it serves humanity

By Isabella H. de Carvalho

Artificial intelligence needs robust governance in order to serve humanity and respect human dignity, said Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva, on July 7, 2026.

His statement was released on the occasion of the UN’s first Global Dialogue on AI Governance, which took place on July 6 and 7 in Geneva.

“The necessity for robust governance does not mean placing limits on AI as obstacles for their own sake,” Archbishop Balestrero said.  

“Rather, it is a prerequisite for ensuring that technological progress is meaningfully oriented towards a broader horizon, at the service of all humanity, while respecting the inalienable God-given dignity of all persons and the common good.”

Highlights 08/07/2026 Pope on AI: It is important to dialogue with everyone to promote the common good In a message signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin for the "AI for Good Global Summit", Pope Leo XIV highlights how "Magnifica humanitas" was born out of listening to many people on ... Profound change requires a political response according to its magnitude

The Permanent Observer’s delegation welcomed the convening of this first Global Dialogue on AI, as “with each passing day, it becomes ever more evident that we are living through an epochal transformation that touches every sphere of life” and “such a profound change requires a political response that is commensurate with its magnitude.”

Archbishop Balestrero emphasized that good governance means using AI “in a way that does not involve outsourcing or surrendering responsibility to an algorithm.” He added that every critical choice made by an automated system must have human oversight, and speed and efficiency should not take precedence over the impact on human lives.

“Indeed, since full moral causality belongs only to personal agents and not to artificial ones, if AI is to be used to uphold human dignity and truly serve the common good, responsibility for its use must remain with human decision-makers, with accountability maintained at every stage,” he insisted.  

The importance of accountability and shared responsibility

Echoing Pope Leo XIV’s Encyclical Magnifica humanitas on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence, Archbishop Balestrero also noted the importance of requiring that AI be transparent in automated decision-making, to ensure “the chain of accountability tracing responsibility from developers to deployers at every AI lifecycle stage.”

The Permanent Observer also highlighted the necessity of developing forms of cooperation that respect the various levels of the global community and help create common frameworks, thereby “ensure joint responsibility for the common good.”

“In this regard, the concentration of technology in the hands of a few powerful corporations could greatly amplify its negative impact, particularly in a context characterized by an obvious lack of ethical frameworks and of institutions capable of addressing such challenges,” he continued.

Archbishop Balestrero also reiterated the Holy See’s commitment “to be actively engaged in the conversation on Artificial Intelligence” and its readiness to partake in a constructive dialogue, in order to safeguard human dignity in the age of AI.