Jesuits to Congress: Look to Pope Leo for A.I. policy ideas

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in June asking artificial intelligence companies to voluntarily collaborate with national security agencies.
The Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States addressed a letter to congressional leaders on the implications of Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” for A.I. policy, marking the beginning of their efforts to translate the pope’s insights into suggestions for congressional policy.
The letter includes sections on economic inequality, defense, and protecting children and workers’ rights, among others, providing lawmakers with a digestible guide for policy measures suggested by the pope.
Chris Kellerman, S.J., the secretary of the Office of Justice and Ecology, believes that lawmakers are open to advice from the church as A.I. develops at a breakneck pace, and tech companies are heavily lobbying Congress on the issue.
The church’s advocacy aims to provide a unique, unbiased voice to shape federal A.I. policy, and there is potential for reaching a common policy through dialogue with all members of Congress.
While the Trump administration has yet to promote a legislative agenda to regulate A.I., some members of Congress, including Senator Bernie Sanders, are advocating for a federal A.I. regulatory framework or other measures.
The Jesuit Conference’s advocacy efforts will include involving the Jesuit network and constituent-level meetings to support the pope’s principles.