MIT physics professor hails Vatican’s ‘strong moral leadership’ on AI
October 31, 2026
A scientist who leads an organization concerned about the risks of artificial intelligence hailed the Vatican’s “strong moral leadership” on the issue.
Max Tegmark, physics professor at MIT and chairman of the Future of Life Institute, took part in “The Future of AI: A Dialogue Between the Vatican and the Scientific World on the Developments and Applications of Intelligent Technologies.” Participants in the October 30 dialogue, organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life and the Institute, included members of the Vatican’s Inter-Dicasterial Commission on Artificial Intelligence; Stuart Russell, professor of computer science at the University of California at Berkeley and president of the International Association for Safe and Ethical AI; and Tegmark.
Pope Leo also addressed participants in the gathering.
“Top AI CEOs have predicted that ‘AI will be in charge, not humans’ and ‘We’ll be the first species ever to design our own descendants,’ said Tegmark. “With strong moral leadership, the Vatican can help steer AI development onto a better pro-human path.”
“The leading AI developers are pursuing a trajectory intended to produce superhuman machines; they admit that if they succeed there’s a good chance that every human being will die,” added Russell. “We must turn aside from this trajectory before it is too late and pursue other trajectories, ones that lead to systems that are guaranteed to remain under control and to further human interests.”
Archbishop Renzo, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, said that “the value of this meeting lies precisely in bringing different perspectives into dialogue. Scientists, institutions and the Church approach Artificial Intelligence from different points of view, but we share a fundamental question: how can we guide its development so that it remains genuinely at the service of the human person and the common good?”
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Further information:
- Vatican hosts leading AI scientists and experts for dialogue on the future of Artificial Intelligence and Human Dignity (Pontifical Academy for Life)
- Pope offers scientists 5 considerations in guiding AI’s development (CWN, 10/31/26)
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