Rome Call for AI Ethics
Introducing the Rome Call
The Rome Call for AI Ethics is a global initiative launched on February 28, 2020, at the Pontifical Academy for Life in the Vatican. It brings together religious institutions, academic bodies, international organizations, and leaders in science and technology around a shared concern: how to ensure that the development and use of artificial intelligence genuinely serve humanity.
At its core, the Rome Call insists that technological progress, especially in the field of AI, must be guided not only by innovation, efficiency, or economic gain, but by ethical responsibility, human dignity, and the common good. The full text of the Rome Call is publicly available and can be accessed here: https://www.romecall.org
The initiative articulates six foundational principles for the ethical development and deployment of artificial intelligence: transparency, inclusion, responsibility, impartiality and fairness, reliability, and security and privacy. Together, these principles offer a human-centered moral framework for responding to the profound social, political, and ethical implications of emerging technologies.
Why These Principles Matter to Us
For I.M.A.M., whose work is inspired by the Qur’an and the ethical tradition associated with the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) of Islam and his family or Ahl al-Bayt (p), these principles are not merely technical or managerial guidelines. They reflect a broader moral tradition that emphasizes human dignity, justice, responsibility in the exercise of power, and the imperative to resist injustice and discrimination. These are values articulated through a religious language, yet fundamentally human and universal in scope, and open to meaningful dialogue with other ethical and philosophical traditions.
Transparency speaks to truthfulness and accountability. Inclusion affirms the inherent dignity of every human being, regardless of belief, identity, or social position. Responsibility reminds us that all forms of power, particularly technological power, must be accompanied by moral answerability. Fairness and impartiality echo the central ethical commitment to justice. Reliability is essential for sustaining social trust. Security and privacy are inseparable from respect for human dignity and the obligation to prevent harm.
From this perspective, ethical engagement with artificial intelligence is not optional. It is part of our wider moral and religious responsibility in a rapidly transforming world.
Why I.M.A.M. Joined the Rome Call
On January 20, 2026, I.M.A.M. formally joined the Rome Call for AI Ethics. This decision reflects our conviction that the future of technology must be shaped by values as much as by technical capability.
By joining the Rome Call, we affirm that artificial intelligence must remain firmly human-centered, supporting human flourishing rather than reinforcing injustice, exclusion, surveillance, or unchecked concentrations of power. Our affiliation expresses solidarity with a growing global effort to ensure that ethical reflection, faith-based wisdom, and social responsibility remain integral to technological development.
Our Commitment Going Forward
As a signatory to the Rome Call, I.M.A.M. commits to working alongside other supporting institutions to advance these principles in practice. This includes contributing to ethical dialogue, supporting education and public awareness, and engaging, within our capacity, with civil society organizations, academic partners, and international initiatives.
We believe that meaningful dialogue between faith, ethics, and technology is not only possible, but necessary if we are to build a digital future that is just, humane, and worthy of trust.