Heron Continues Vatican-Supported Artificial Intelligence Research

Washington, D.C. — Jason Heron, associate professor of Theology at Mount Marty, attended the annual plenary meeting of the U.S. working group on Applied AI (artificial intelligence) Ethics earlier this month in Washington, D.C. Heron joined the group in 2025 shortly after Pope Leo XIV was elected. “We remain focused on protecting and promoting human flourishing in the rapidly changing AI landscape. I’m grateful to be part of this research,” said Heron. The Vatican wrote about the group’s progress earlier this month.

According to The Vatican, “participants discussed the major teachings of the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas,” Pope Leo’s first encyclical, published last month. In Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo cautioned against using artificial intelligence in a way that would harm human dignity. Heron added that the group is working on a book on the culture of Silicon Valley, the geographical center of artificial intelligence, and on a book highlighting artificial intelligence’s impact on labor. Heron will have a role in the writing of the book on labor. “It’s edifying to bring the richness of Catholic social teaching to such an important topic,” said Heron. Last year, the group published two books: Encountering Artificial Intelligence: Ethical and Anthropological Investigations and Reclaiming Human Agency in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Read the books in their entirety free of charge by clicking on either link.

The group of 19 includes scholars from across the United States, including Kevin Gary, the 2026 Mount Marty Aquinas Lecture speaker and faculty member at Hillsdale College. The group will next come together in-person in summer 2027, though they meet virtually throughout the year.

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About Mount Marty University

Founded in 1936 by the Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery, Mount Marty University is South Dakota's Catholic University. Located along the bluffs of the Missouri River in Yankton, with additional locations in Watertown and Sioux Falls, Mount Marty offers undergraduate and graduate degrees focusing on student and alumni success in high-demand fields such as health sciences, education, criminal justice, business, accounting, recreation management, and more. A community of learners in the Benedictine tradition, Mount Marty emphasizes academic excellence and develops well-rounded students with intellectual competence, professional and personal skills and moral, spiritual and social values. To learn more, visit mountmarty.edu.