AI Ethics: An Abrahamic Commitment to the Rome Call
10th January 2023 | 17th Jumada al-Thani 1444 | 17 Tevet 5783
Vatican City
Joint Declaration

Preamble
The development of Artificial intelligence (AI) is already changing lives across the world. As its power
grows, this change will prove as great as the industrial revolution, changing the nature of work, thepossibilities of manufacture, and opening possibilities to deal with humanity’s great challenges. But all
great changes bring the capacity for good and for harm. Whether the development of AI is truly
beneficial to all is in our hands.
In February 2020, a group of organizations led by the Vatican signed in Rome a “Call for AI Ethics”,
seeking to foster an ethical approach to AI. The Rome Call sought to promote a sense of responsibility
among governments, businesses and institutions to think carefully about the ethical development of AI
technologies, serving human creativity and respecting human dignity.
The Rome Call recognizes that new technologies and vast changes in human experience do not comewith innate ethical constraints. It is incumbent on those of good will, from all walks of life, to look tothe future, laying out frameworks for the ethical use of new technologies that envision the vast changes
and opportunities that they create. If such action waits until the potential of new technologies is realized,
it is too late.
Religious leaders, ethicists and theologians have essential roles to play in this endeavor. The religionsthat they serve place the inherent dignity of the human being, as something given by God, at the heart oftheir concepts of social relations and development. Their ethical approaches are not utilitarian, butabsolute: we seek human flourishing because we are commanded to by our creator. We seek the welfareof the most vulnerable because in each individual, however weak, there is the spirit of God. Such ashared commitment to the value and well-being of every individual was expressed in the Charter of theNew Alliance of Virtues signed in December 2019.
The three religions of the Abrahamic family, sharing basic ethical values derived from their sharedhistory and development, should particularly seek opportunities to work together for an ethical vision ofa world changed by AI.
Mindful of the Rome Call and the duties incumbent upon us in a world in which 80 per cent of people
declare a faith,

We, representatives of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s Commission for Interreligious Relations, thePontifical Academy for Life and Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace, having deliberated on• The need for religious freedom in the promotion of human flourishing;• The requirement for an ethical approach to the opportunities presented by AI;• The complexities of AI and the challenges of international regulation;• The vital contributions of religious leaders to a well-functioning polity and good governance;• Our common concern for the most vulnerable in our societies and the requirement for equitableeconomic and technological development;• The opportunities for inter-religious cooperation in the development of ethical frameworks forAI;

Acknowledged that technological development can have unintended consequences that lead to divisionand violence, and that this is especially true when development occurs without prior ethicalconsideration, frameworks, and a view to mutual human flourishing; and that our societies do notalways affirm human dignity or promote peace.
Recognized and accepted that voluntary regulation is insufficient for the pace and scale of technologicalprogress, and that new forms of international regulation must be encouraged to promote transparency
and compliance with ethical principles.
Affirmed our role, as religious and political leaders and representatives, to build and uphold theprinciples of human dignity, freedom, “algorethics”, protection for the vulnerable and the common
good.
We are mindful of the fact that, in the past, religion and religious differences have been exploited toexacerbate conflict, violence, the loss of life and property, and to gain political privilege. Accordingly,
we stand together as an alliance of virtue, in pledging to do our utmost to work for peace and global
fraternity and to avoid future exploitation of religions and their adherents.
Committed ourselves to promote “algorethics”, namely an ethical framework for the development anduse of AI, by means of the following principles:
1. Transparency: on principle, AI systems must be clear and explicable.
2. Inclusion: the needs of all human beings must be taken into consideration so that everyone canbenefit, and all individuals can be offered the best possible conditions to express themselves
constructively.
3. Responsibility: those who design and deploy the use of AI should do so in a responsible manner
and with integrity.
4. Impartiality: tools of AI should not be developed with bias, but should strive to be fair, honest,and protect human dignity.
5. Reliability: every effort must be made to ensure that AI systems work reliably.
6. Security and privacy: AI systems must ensure security and respect the privacy of users.

We call upon all stakeholders, including but not limited to business, developers, governments, civilsociety, and academics to• Uphold the algorethics principles, enshrining them in company policies and developing
international regulation to maintain them;• for those in authority or positions of power to refrain from the development of AI technologies
for partisan, national or individual gain;• for governments to refrain from the weaponization of AI technologies, which threatens thepeaceful co-existence of us all.

We urge those engaged in AI research and development to consider the ethical ramifications of any
advancements, to collaborate with ethicists, and to adhere to the cautionary principle in areas of moral
concern.
We propose the creation of an alliance between technology companies and leaders representing most of
the religious and ethical traditions of the world.

We hereby commend this joint declaration as a companion to the “Rome Call for AI Ethics,”
Rome, 10 January 2023; 17 Jumada II 1444 AH; 17 Tevet 5783