Geneva: The Holy See has called for artificial intelligence to be developed and used in agrifood systems in ways that protect human dignity and promote human development, while warning that technology alone cannot solve the problem of hunger.
Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva, made the remarks on October 5 during a conference on human centred artificial intelligence for agrifood systems. The event was jointly organised by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva.
Archbishop Balestrero said AI could provide new opportunities to address hunger and reduce the gap between people who have adequate access to food and those who do not. However, he stressed that decisions about how such technology is developed and used must remain a human responsibility.
He said the continuing existence of hunger in an age of rapid technological development represents a serious failure of humanity. He also recalled the basic responsibility to use both new and existing tools to feed those who are hungry.
The Archbishop pointed to several ways in which digital technologies could support small farmers. AI and other tools can improve access to agricultural knowledge and markets, while also helping farmers receive early warnings. Such technologies could contribute to greater productivity, resilience and sustainability in agrifood systems.
At the same time, Archbishop Balestrero warned that AI could also increase existing inequalities if it is not developed and used responsibly. He stressed that the benefits of technological progress should not come at the expense of people or communities that are already vulnerable.
Referring to Pope Leo XIV's visit to the Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters in October 2025, Archbishop Balestrero recalled the concern over the number of people facing food insecurity. He noted that 673 million people worldwide were going to bed without eating, while another 2.3 billion could not afford a nutritionally adequate diet.
He stressed that such figures should not be treated simply as statistics, but as a reminder of the human consequences of hunger and inadequate nutrition.
The Archbishop also referred to Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, stressing that technology is never neutral. He said the design, development and use of AI in agrifood systems should respect the dignity of every person and make integral human development a central purpose.
He called on the international community and other stakeholders to ensure that AI is governed ethically. Appropriate regulatory measures, he said, are needed to promote justice and prevent the misuse of technology.
In his closing remarks, Archbishop Balestrero acknowledged that the Church does not have technical solutions to all the challenges created by artificial intelligence. He said, however, that the Church can offer guidance on the moral questions surrounding technological development and on the importance of keeping the human person at the centre.
He warned against treating farmers and rural communities simply as sources of data. Technology, he said, should be judged not only by its capabilities but by how effectively it serves people and the common good.
For the Holy See, the success of AI in agrifood systems will ultimately depend on whether its benefits reach people and communities and contribute to a world where no one has to go to bed hungry.