Full Breakdown
Pope Leo XIV Receives Symbolic “Sphere of Humanity” as AI Initiative Takes Shape
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
During his General Audience in early September, Pope Leo XIV was presented with the “Sphere of Humanity,” a green Murano-glass sculpture that incorporates four handwritten passages from his May encyclical *Magnifica Humanitas*. The gift was offered by the nonprofit Saint Peter for Humanity, which announced that it will convene about 70 leaders in New York City next week to begin drafting the “Codex Humanitatis,” an independent set of principles aimed at safeguarding human dignity as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly powerful.
Background & Context
*Magnifica Humanitas* warns that AI could become a tool of “domination, exclusion and death” if its development outpaces ethical safeguards. Pope Leo XIV calls for clear responsibility at every stage of AI design, development, and use, noting the opacity of many AI systems and the need for robust legal frameworks, independent oversight, and informed users.
Official Statements & Responses
Saint Peter for Humanity’s president and chairman, Olivier Francois, explained the organization’s view: the benefits of AI are recognized, but humanity itself must be a central voice in the conversation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We recognize the benefits of AI. We just believe again that there is another force that should belong to that conversation; that other force is humanity,” — Olivier Francois, the organization’s president and chairman
- “So what are we going to do in New York? We are going to gather 70 Nobel laureates, artists, thinkers, philanthropists, technology and AI experts, obviously that's important, and we will ask them maybe the hardest question of our times, you know, as artificial intelligence grows even more powerful, what must remain human?” — Olivier Francois, the organization’s president and chairman
Why It Matters
The Codex Humanitatis aims to produce a draft set of principles covering the future of work, accountability, information integrity, human oversight, and the protection of children and families. After the New York meeting, the draft will enter a global consultation process and be refined for presentation at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. If adopted, the Codex could influence policy discussions, corporate AI governance, and international standards, aligning technological development with the Pope’s call for AI to serve people, protect human dignity, expand human potential, and advance the common good.