US ‘Welcomes’ Vatican Input on AI Regulation, Says Ambassador Burch| National Catholic Register

The U.S. ambassador to the Holy See also proposed a destination for a hypothetical papal visit to the United States: Silicon Valley.

The Trump administration is happy to have the Vatican’s input on the regulation of artificial intelligence, said U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch. He added that a spirit of cooperation and dialogue on the topic of AI regulation is one that “the United States welcomes.”

“I think the U.S. very much is leading with our corporate technological leadership, with our AI industry. And we want to find ways to cooperate with both governments and welcome, certainly, the input of the Holy See to that conversation,” Burch said, speaking to the press following a May 5 conference in Rome on the topic of AI and the future of work.

Addressing journalists at the event held at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Burch did not specifically say whether the U.S. would sign on to an international AI agreement were the Vatican to broker one, noting that the answer to that question is “in the details.”

Burch’s comments come at a time when the question of how to regulate AI, both in the United States and around the world, is being hotly debated.

Up to now, the Trump administration has taken a hands-off approach to AI regulation, even issuing an executive order in December mandating that state regulations on AI take a minimally burdensome approach. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, has directly signaled his skepticism of AI regulation, urging governments not to “kill a transformative industry just as it’s taking off.”

But recent reports suggest that the Trump administration is reconsidering this lighter approach to AI regulation following the release of Mythos, an exceptionally powerful AI model from U.S. company Anthropic that has stoked concerns among observers about the harms it could do if put in the wrong hands.

Concerns over unregulated AI range from major labor market disruptions and job loss to threats of AI-powered cyber warfare and global destabilization.

For its part, the Holy See has clearly articulated ethical considerations that should guide the creation and use of AI, while setting strict regulations on AI’s use within the Vatican’s own borders.

In terms of specific policy recommendations for lawmakers, the Holy See has advocated for AI regulatory frameworks that ensure that the technology is developed and utilized for the common good. Pope Leo XIV, who chose his papal name as an indication of his desire to provide a moral framework amid the digital revolution, is widely expected to release an encyclical addressing AI and human dignity later this month.

Regarding the Pope’s guidance on the issue, Vance has previously said that providing moral leadership on AI “is one of the most profound and positive things that Pope Leo could do, not just for the Church but for the world.”

“The American government is not equipped to provide moral leadership, at least full-scale moral leadership, in the wake of all the changes that are going to come with AI,” Vance told New York Times columnist Ross Douthat in May 2025. “I think the Church is.”

Burch told journalists at Tuesday’s event that despite disagreements between Pope Leo and the Trump administration — particularly Trump’s criticism of Leo last month when the latter called for peace amid the war in Iran — he rejects the idea that there is a “rift” between the Vatican and the United States that would prevent the U.S. from listening to what Leo has to say about AI.

He also framed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s upcoming meeting with Pope Leo as less about healing divisions than focusing on areas of shared interest.

“His visit, I think, speaks to our deep desire to engage in exactly what the Holy See has called for, fraternity and authentic dialogue,” said the ambassador.

In the past, when referring to potential differences of opinion between the Vatican and the U.S. on questions of immigration, Burch has said that there are “areas of prudential judgment where we may agree on the end but disagree on the means.”

Regarding the regulation of disruptive new technologies, Burch said that “the kinds of comments that the Holy See has made I think are largely pastoral — largely at a broader universal level about the principles that ought to guide the conversation around AI.”

“Certainly the Holy See thinks about this question in a particular way, given its role in the world, its role as a soft power, its role as the custodian of a rich heritage of Catholic social teaching, and the U.S. thinks about it certainly with respect to its role and its responsibilities to its citizens to make our country safer, stronger, and more prosperous, which is my task,” the ambassador said. “I think the interplay between those two roles in the world is one that we still believe can be productive and helpful.”

Burch also addressed the possibility of Pope Leo returning to his homeland, suggesting that the Pope did not visit the United States this year due to a desire to avoid the “hyper-politicization” that comes with an election year. The ambassador suggested that 2027 could be an ideal time for a papal visit, and he proposed a stop for a hypothetical agenda: the United State’s tech capital in California.

“As the first American-born Pope, I think there’s probably some level of interest on his part, at least I hope there is,” the ambassador said. “And if he does make a trip, it’s our hope that he will include Silicon Valley as one of the stops.”