Pope Francis, Microsoft Chief Discuss Prospects of AI Development - Holy See

Pope Francis received Microsoft’s president Brad Smith in the Vatican City and discussed prospects of the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies with the official, Alessandro Gisotti, the spokesman of The Holy See, has said.

During the meeting on Wednesday, Smith emphasized that AI should be used for the well-being of society. Moreover, Microsoft’s chief spoke about some ways to overcome a global gap in the development of digital technologies.

Smith was accompanied by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, during his visit to Vatican City. Smith and Paglia told Pope Francis that Microsoft together with the academy planned to establish an international prize on AI ethics.

The Pontifical Academy for Life is actively engaged in public discussions on issues dedicated to AI. On 25-26 February, the academy will hold a workshop dubbed Roboethics: Humans, Machines and Health. In addition, it plans to carry out another workshop focused on the development of AI in 2020. Sputnik has learned that Smith has agreed to attend the meeting.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies involved in research and development to prioritize AI in upcoming funding requests for fiscal 2020 to help protect US leadership in the next technology frontier.

https://sputniknews.com/society/201902141072404356-vatican-usa-pope-francis-microsoft-ai-development/