Since January 1, 2025, a new decree governing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Vatican City State has come into force. Developed by the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State, this document, titled "Directives on Artificial Intelligence", establishes a strict framework aimed at regulating practices related to this technology.
Quietly published on December 23, 2024, on the Vatican's official website, this regulation formally prohibits certain uses of AI deemed contrary to ethics or the mission of the Church. However, it applies only to the institutions of the Vatican City State, thus excluding the Roman Curia.
The 13-page text details prohibited practices, including:
Any use compromising the security of the Vatican City State.
AI systems that would exclude persons with disabilities or discriminate against them.
Applications generating social inequalities or harming human dignity.
Subliminal manipulation techniques causing physical or psychological harm.
Furthermore, it is explicitly forbidden to use artificial intelligence tools that would be contrary to the mission of the Pope, the integrity of the Church, or the institutional activities of the Vatican.
To ensure compliance with these directives, a Commission on Artificial Intelligence has been established. Composed of five members from the Vatican's legal, IT, and security services, this commission is tasked with:
Overseeing activities related to AI.
Proposing complementary laws to strengthen the regulatory framework.
Drafting semi-annual reports on the state of AI practices in the Vatican.
Reviewing proposals for experiments to ensure their conformity with the stated ethical principles.
This decree is based on the broad outlines of the European AI regulation, adopted last August, while adapting them to the specificities of the Holy See. The text emphasizes principles such as transparency, inclusion, and ethical responsibility, and reaffirms existing Vatican laws on data protection and copyright.
Particular attention is paid to sensitive areas such as health, cultural heritage, justice, and administration. For example, in Vatican tribunals, the use of AI is limited to documentary research, with the task of interpreting the law remaining exclusively entrusted to human judges.
The decree also emphasizes that any content generated by AI in the Vatican must be clearly identified with the label "AI", in order to distinguish human creation from artificial productions.
This text reflects Pope Francis's commitment to the ethical regulation of artificial intelligence. In his Rome Call for AI Ethics, he recalls that science and technology are gifts from God, to be employed in the service of the common good. The Pope has also advocated for an international treaty on AI regulation and has urged G7 leaders to ban autonomous weapons.
While establishing clear prohibitions, the directives acknowledge the benefits the technology can bring:
"Science and technology, fruits of human creativity, are gifts from God that have allowed for the remedy of many ills."
The Vatican plans to develop complementary laws by the end of the year to strengthen these initial directives. Once again, the Church demonstrates its concern for combining technical progress with respect for human dignity, while defending its evangelical mission in the face of the challenges of the modern world.