• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Franciscan Father Paolo Benanti, a professor at Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University, speaks at a conference on ethical AI development at the Vatican June 21, 2024. Father Benanti, a member of the United Nations' advisory body on AI and adviser to Pope Francis on ethics and technology, visited the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Wash., July 23, for a conversation with Brad Smith, president of the tech giant. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

Papal adviser, head of Microsoft talk ethics and AI in conversation on tech giant’s campus

August 4, 2024
By Helen McClenahan
OSV News
Filed Under: News, social media, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

REDMOND, Wash. (OSV News) — Dozens of technologists and Catholics gathered at Microsoft in Redmond for a conversation about ethics in artificial intelligence between an “unlikely pair,” as they were introduced: a papal adviser and the head of Microsoft.

Father Paolo Benanti, a member of the United Nations’ advisory body on AI and adviser to Pope Francis on ethics and technology, visited the Microsoft campus July 23 for a conversation with Brad Smith, president of the tech giant.

Seattle University President Eduardo Peñalver introduced the “unlikely pair,” who met five years ago at the Vatican while working on the development of the “Rome Call for AI Ethics,” a document and commitment by entities around the world to embrace key principles in shaping technology.

Pope Francis greets Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer of Microsoft, at Domus Sanctae Marthae at the Vatican Feb. 13, 2019. Smith met at Microsoft in Redmond, Wash., July 23, with Father Paolo Benanti, a member of the United Nations’ advisory body on AI and adviser to Pope Francis on ethics and technology, (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Since then, the tech executive and humble priest have become key partners in promoting responsible AI.

During the discussion, they mused about their meetings, their travels and their commitments to the intersection between technology and ethics and how they are “calling AI to be in service to all humanity.”

Smith shared how people questioned the relationship between Microsoft and the Catholic Church, noting criticism from people who do not agree with church teachings or felt the relationship with one religion was too narrow.

“If you look at the mission of the Catholic Church and the teachings, if you look at the mission of Microsoft — they are all universal and embrace people from different backgrounds,” Smith said. “In fact, if we can come together, then more people with more differences in the way they look at the world can come together. I just think that’s a really good thing.”

Susana Landeira, a Microsoft employee from the Dallas office, flew in to listen to the pair’s discussion about ethics and technology.

“It’s inspiring that I work at a company where I can bring my Catholic faith,” she said, describing how meaningful it is to work on technology that has the power to do such good and have leaders who are striving for ethical development.

“That’s why we’re all here,” she told Northwest Catholic, Seattle’s archdiocesan magazine.

Signed by the Pontifical Academy for Life, Microsoft, IBM, FAO and the Italian government’s Ministry of Innovation, the “Rome Call” was created Feb. 28, 2020, to promote an ethical approach to AI. The document covers ethics, education and rights, and is rooted in six principles covering transparency, inclusion, responsibility, impartiality, reliability, and security and privacy.

“We are exceeding our biology with technology,” said Father Benanti, who described how technology allows people to achieve wonderful things, but at the same time requires people to understand “the impact and what it means to be responsible.”

He added that this shared idea of responsible technology development was just one impetus for the Rome Call, which has more than 50 supporting organizations across business, religion and government.

Smith described how this “clearly 21st-century document” addresses ethical principles that are timeless, ensures AI serves all humanity — “even the underprivileged” — and requires that AI is developed in ways that are sensitive to needs of the climate.

“It was a remarkable community event where we collectively explored the current state of Generative AI within the framework of the Rome Call,” said Ignacio Davila, customer senior program manager for Office AI and co-chair of the Catholics at Microsoft Employee Network. “I particularly valued Brad Smith’s emphasis on ensuring AI technologies serve humanity and contribute to global peace and ethical standards. The journey will continue.”

During his monthlong visit to Seattle, Father Benanti, a Franciscan friar, will support Seattle University’s Technology Ethics Initiative engaging with students, faculty, staff and community members to enhance the university’s work on ethics and AI.

“The ethical use of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence continues to be an important and challenging topic,” Peñalver said. “As a Jesuit and Catholic institution, Seattle University is a leader in responding to opportunities these technologies present to serve a common good.”

Read More Social Media

Pope Leo XIV champions media literacy

Communicate hope with gentleness

Vatican warns about fake pope quotes, videos

‘Take it Down Act’ to combat online sexual exploitation signed into law

Pope Leo XIV on social media: Instagram and X accounts up and growing

U.S. bishops release updated pastoral letter on pornography amid rise in sexual exploitation

Copyright © 2024 OSV News

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Helen McClenahan

Helen McClenahan writes for Northwest Catholic, the official publication of the Archdiocese of Seattle.

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

  • Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary

  • Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

  • Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

  • Archbishop Wenski leads Knights on Bikes to pray rosary at Alligator Alcatraz

| Latest Local News |

Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

Third annual gun buyback scheduled for Aug. 9

Driver arrested after crashing into entrance of Esperanza Center

Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

| Latest World News |

Can’t afford a Catholic college? Think again. Many offer full tuition options

Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary

LA archbishop, joined by business leaders, starts fund to help families affected by ICE raids

FBI surveilled SSPX priest amid probe of suspected neo-Nazi’s plans for violence

Poland’s ‘living memorial’ to St. John Paul II marks 25 years of transforming lives

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Can’t afford a Catholic college? Think again. Many offer full tuition options
  • Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary
  • LA archbishop, joined by business leaders, starts fund to help families affected by ICE raids
  • FBI surveilled SSPX priest amid probe of suspected neo-Nazi’s plans for violence
  • Poland’s ‘living memorial’ to St. John Paul II marks 25 years of transforming lives
  • Our faith is not afraid of questions
  • Catholic ‘American Ninja Warrior’ fights world hunger, one obstacle at a time
  • Parishes need to launch ‘revolution of care’ for the elderly, pope says
  • Broglio: Church teaching obligates the faithful to support pastoral care of migrants

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en