Artificial Intelligence law at Vatican City
As of May 2025, Vatican City has implemented its first comprehensive legal framework for artificial intelligence (AI), effective from January 1, 2025. This initiative aligns with Pope Francis' advocacy for ethical AI development, emphasizing human dignity and moral responsibility.
📜 Vatican City's AI Legal Framework
Vatican City has introduced Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence, which serve as the foundational legal document for AI usage within the city-state. These guidelines establish principles and standards for the ethical, responsible, and controlled use of AI across various sectors, including administration, healthcare, education, and security. The guidelines aim to ensure that AI research, development, and implementation activities are directed towards achieving the common good, placing people at the center of technological advancement.
⚖️ Key Principles of the AI Guidelines
The guidelines encompass several critical principles:
Human-Centric Approach: AI must serve humanity, respecting human autonomy and dignity. Final decisions should always involve human oversight.
Transparency and Accountability: AI systems should be transparent, and their decision-making processes should be understandable to users.
Data Protection and Security: Emphasis on safeguarding personal and biometric data, ensuring confidentiality and preventing misuse.
Non-Discrimination: Prohibition of AI applications that discriminate or cause psychological or physical harm.
Accessibility: Ensuring AI systems are accessible to all, including individuals with disabilities.
Alignment with Church Mission: AI use must not conflict with the mission of the Catholic Church or the institutional activities of the Governorate.
Cultural and Legal Integrity: Respect for cultural heritage and adherence to international regulations in AI applications.
A dedicated Commission on Artificial Intelligence, appointed by the President of the Governorate, is responsible for drafting laws and implementing regulations, providing opinions on AI system proposals, and monitoring the impact of AI use within Vatican City State.
🌐 Global Ethical Engagement: The Rome Call for AI Ethics
In addition to national guidelines, Vatican City has been a proponent of global ethical standards for AI through the Rome Call for AI Ethics. Launched in 2020 by the Pontifical Academy for Life, this initiative promotes an ethical approach to AI development and usage. It has garnered support from various organizations, including Microsoft, IBM, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and Cisco, emphasizing principles such as transparency, inclusion, responsibility, impartiality, and security in AI development.
📚 Doctrinal Insights: Antiqua et Nova
On January 28, 2025, the Vatican released Antiqua et Nova, a doctrinal note addressing the relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence. The document highlights AI's potential and risks across various sectors, including education, economy, work, health, relationships, and warfare. It emphasizes the necessity for AI to complement, rather than replace, human intelligence, cautioning against the development of autonomous lethal weapons and the erosion of human oversight. The note underscores the importance of moral scrutiny and regulation to ensure AI is utilized ethically and responsibly.
In summary, Vatican City's approach to artificial intelligence is characterized by a commitment to ethical principles, human dignity, and global collaboration. Through its national guidelines and participation in international initiatives, the Vatican aims to guide the development and use of AI in a manner that aligns with its moral and ethical standards.
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