NEW DELHI/Rajasthan Chief Secretary and President of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) V Srinivas met Pope Leo XIV at Vatican City on Friday, with the Pope stressing the need to place people at the centre of technological advancement and ensure that artificial intelligence serves humanity.
A 520-member IIAS delegation led by Srinivas attended a special blessing by Pope Leo XIV during the visit. The Pope extended his blessings and good wishes for the development and progress of Rajasthan and India.
During his interaction with the delegation, Pope Leo XIV emphasised the need to “humanise” digital technologies so that they serve citizens and contribute to the larger public good. He stressed that the well-being of the human family should take precedence over private interests.
The Pope also called for the balanced and responsible use of AI and rapidly evolving digital technologies. He cautioned against entrusting critical decisions concerning human life entirely to machines and underscored the irreplaceable importance of human intelligence.
He called for an effective ethical framework for the human-centred use of digital technologies and encouraged IIAS to continue research in this area so that technology in public administration serves life and peace.
Srinivas described his meeting with Pope Leo XIV as a moment of immense pride and highlighted the significance of IIAS joining the Pope’s global “Magnifica Humanitas” efforts in the service of humanity.
Srinivas was elected the first Indian President of IIAS in June 2025. He also delivered the IIAS Presidential Address at the 51st European Group for Public Administration Annual Conference at Sapienza University of Rome.
The meeting with Pope Leo XIV on the concluding day of the conference marked a significant chapter in Srinivas’s visit to Rome.