Edinburgh: The Catholic Church must play a leading role in shaping the future of artificial intelligence (AI), scholars, entrepreneurs, and clergy emphasized at a two-day symposium held September 2–3 at the Gillis Centre in Edinburgh, Scotland. The gathering, which brought together global voices in technology and theology, highlighted that the ethical development of AI requires not just technical expertise, but also moral and spiritual wisdom rooted in centuries of reflection on human dignity.
Organized by St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, the conference featured presentations from figures such as Lucas Ernesto Wall, founder of almma, the world’s first AI marketplace; Father Michael Baggot, bioethics professor at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome; and Matthew Sanders, CEO of Longbeard and creator of Magisterium AI, Vulgate AI, and Christendom apps. Their interventions underscored the urgent need for dialogue between the Church and the rapidly evolving technology sector.
“The Catholic Church has been contemplating the question of what it means to be human for millennia,” Wall told Catholic News Agency. “We may be the best organization to help AI be dignified.” In his keynote address, Wall called for “AI democratization,” stressing that the age of algorithms must prioritize human flourishing, especially for vulnerable communities at risk of being sidelined in technological progress. He also suggested that Pope Leo XIV is likely to make the ethics of AI a cornerstone of his papacy, building on the groundwork already laid by Pope Francis through initiatives such as Antiqua et Nova.
Wall went further, urging Catholics worldwide to take practical steps in engaging with the issue. “AI is impacting every aspect of life, and we are only beginning to see how. We need daily calls to action from parishes and from every Catholic to engage with AI’s challenges. This could become the most powerful mobilization of the Church in generations,” he said. For him, the task extends beyond denominational lines: “This affects all humans not just Catholics.”
Matthew Sanders echoed Wall’s optimism, noting that AI leaders themselves have expressed openness to ethical guidance. “It is quite surprising how many heads of AI labs are philosophically minded,” Sanders observed. He cited Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, a member of the Pontifical Council of Sciences, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, both of whom have publicly stressed the need for regulation. “Overall, AI labs do not want to be prescriptive about what an AI world should look like, and they welcome the wisdom of the Church,” Sanders said.
Stephen Dolan, lecturer in theology at St. Mary’s Twickenham, reflected on the international scope of the discussions. “We had between 30 and 40 participants across both days, joining from in person and online. People called in from India, the Philippines, and the United States, while interest also came from Ghana and other parts of the world. It shows that this topic is global and urgent,” Dolan explained.
The mood of the symposium, Dolan added, was both hopeful and cautious. “The main takeaway for me is the uncertainty of what AI may mature to become. Optimism and skepticism coexisted in the room, but that tension is healthy. It allows us to ask the right questions about whether AI will serve human needs or undermine them.” For Dolan, the Catholic Church’s responsibility is clear: “The Church must be the voice of the lonely, marginalized, and future disenfranchised if unrelenting AI development fails to respect the intrinsic dignity of the human person.”
The conference ended on the note that while AI represents a profound transformation of society, it is not inherently good or evil. The decisive factor will be whether humanity, guided by ethical and spiritual principles, chooses to direct AI toward the service of the common good. “The room was alive with debate,” Dolan recalled. “What united everyone was the conviction that Catholic social teaching could hold this conversation together and point society toward the greatest good.”
By bridging theology and technology, the Edinburgh symposium illustrated that the Church’s ancient wisdom still holds a vital place in shaping humanity’s most modern challenges.