Vatican—Microsoft Dialog

Two unlikely institutions found they have some shared interests.

Seattle University welcomed Father Paolo Benanti, Pope Francis’ advisor on artificial intelligence and technology ethics, as a distinguished visiting professor. During his visit, Benanti joined Microsoft President Brad Smith for a discussion with employees at Microsoft’s Redmond campus and spoke at an event in downtown Seattle.

Microsoft and the Catholic Church collaborated on the “Rome Call for AI Ethics” document. Benanti says both organizations were asking some of the same questions about AI and ethics.

Benanti and Onur Bakiner, an associate professor and director of the Seattle University Technology Ethics Initiative, discussed the potential harms and benefits of AI, the ethical standards that should be applied to technology, and the importance of this issue to the Catholic Church and Pope Francis. They also touched on policy and regulations surrounding AI and expressed hope that the world can tackle the challenge of AI's ethical use.

While acknowledging the competitive nature of tech organizations and startups, Bakiner emphasized the importance of ethics boards and responsible AI officers in ensuring technology is developed in safe and responsible ways. Benanti's advice for creating or engaging with AI tools? “Stay human.”

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