At first glance, Pope Francis’ January message to a cadre of business and political leaders gathered at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, appeared largely focused on the plight of the poor—a hallmark of his papacy.
But it also contained a reference to an unusual topic for a pontiff: artificial intelligence.
“Artificial intelligence, robotics and other technological innovations must be so employed that they contribute to the service of humanity and to the protection of our common home, rather than to the contrary, as some assessments unfortunately foresee,” wrote Francis.