Vatican Guidelines on AI: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence for 2025

January 1, 2025 marks the beginning of a new era for the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI), with the entry into force of the first state regulatory framework dedicated to its use: the Vatican Guidelines on AI. This document, issued by the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City, not only stands out for its uniqueness in the legislative field but also highlights a concrete commitment to the ethical, transparent, and human-centered use of AI.

The guidelines emphasize the importance of human responsibility, data protection, and the prohibition of discriminatory practices, asserting that artificial intelligence is a tool in the service of the common good.

Vatican Guidelines on AI in detail

Issued on December 16, 2024, the Vatican Guidelines represent a bastion of legislative innovation. Divided into three main sections, they establish an ethical and operational framework for the use of AI in strategic areas such as healthcare, cultural heritage, labor, and justice.

General provisions
The Guidelines open with a clear definition of artificial intelligence and the fundamental principles governing its use: human dignity, transparency, proportionality, and ethical responsibility. AI must be developed with a human-centered approach, ensuring inclusivity, safety, and environmental sustainability.

Principles by subject
Each area of application is precisely regulated:

• healthcare: promotes the use of AI to improve health care while respecting patient data privacy;
• cultural heritage: AI is an ally in the conservation of cultural and artistic heritage, while maintaining the integrity and value of the assets;
• labor: encourages training and safety, but prohibits discrimination in selection processes;
• judicial activities: AI can support the work of magistrates, but the final decision remains the exclusive prerogative of humans;
• infrastructure and services: AI is a tool to improve the economic and environmental sustainability of infrastructure and services;
• administrative procedures: AI can simplify and accelerate administrative processes, ensuring transparency and ethics.

Prohibitions in the Guidelines

The guidelines include a series of explicit prohibitions, organized into four key areas, to ensure the safe and respectful use of artificial intelligence.

1. Discrimination and manipulation:
   • prohibited to create discriminatory anthropological profiles based on race, gender, or religion;
   • prohibited to manipulate people subliminally causing psychological or physical harm.
2. Accessibility and social equity:
   • prohibited to design AI systems that exclude people with disabilities;
   • prohibited the use of AI to perpetuate social inequalities.
3. Security and public order:
   • prohibited to compromise the security of the Vatican State or encourage criminal activities;
4. Institutional integrity:
   • prohibited the use of AI against the mission of the Pope or the Church, or in contrast to the Guidelines themselves.

Prohibitions in the Vatican Guidelines on AI

A Commission for the Future

To ensure the application and updating of the guidelines, a specific Commission has been established. This body will monitor developments in AI, prepare implementing regulations, and draft biannual reports on the impact of technology in the Vatican State.

The Vatican Guidelines on AI place the Vatican at the forefront of the global debate on technological ethics. By offering a model that balances innovation and responsibility, these standards reaffirm the centrality of the human being in an era increasingly dominated by machines. A concrete example of how regulation can promote harmonious progress, respectful of human dignity and the common good.