World
Pope Francis attends G7 summit in historic first
The pontiff brought his moral authority to bear on the Group of Seven, invited by host Italy to address a special session on the perils and promises of AI.
Pope Francis has addressed leaders at the G7 Summit in southern Italy, the first pontiff to do so.
Speaking at a special roundtable, the Pope challenged them to keep human dignity foremost in developing and using artificial intelligence, warning that such powerful technology risks turning human relations themselves into algorithms.
“Faced with the marvels of machines, which seem to know how to choose independently, we should be very clear that decision-making, even when we are confronted with its sometimes dramatic and urgent aspects, must always be left to the human person,” he said.
“We would condemn humanity to a future without hope if we took away people’s ability to make decisions about themselves and their lives, by dooming them to depend on the choices of machines.”
Francis brought his moral authority to bear on the Group of Seven, invited by host Italy to address a special session on the perils and promises of AI.
In doing so, he offered an ethical take on an issue that is increasingly on the agenda of international summits, government policy and corporate boards.
Francis said politicians must take the lead in making sure AI remains human-centric, so that decisions about when to use weapons or even less-lethal tools always remain made by humans and not machines.
He also took a swipe at autonomous weapons, saying it should never be left to machines to decide whether or not to kill a person.
“Allow me to insist, in light of the tragedy that is armed conflict, it is urgent to reconsider the development and use of devices like the so-called ‘lethal autonomous weapons’ and ultimately ban their use. This starts from an effective and concrete commitment to introduce ever greater and proper human control. No machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being,” he said.
The G7 final statement largely reflected his concerns. Leaders vowed to better coordinate the governance and regulatory frameworks surrounding AI to keep it ‘human-centered.’
At the same time, they acknowledged the potential impacts on the labour markets of machines taking the place of human workers and on the justice system of algorithms predicting recidivism.
“We will pursue an inclusive, human-centred, digital transformation that underpins economic growth and sustainable development, maximizes benefits, and manages risks, in line with our shared democratic values and respect for human rights,” they said.
By attending the summit, Francis joined a chorus of countries and global bodies pushing for stronger guardrails on AI following the boom in generative AI kickstarted by OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot.
On the weapons issue, G7 leaders said they recognised the impact of AI in the military domain “and the need for a framework for responsible development and use.” They encouraged states to make sure “military use of AI is responsible, complies with applicable international law, particularly international humanitarian law, and enhances international security.”
The strikes came a day after heavy bombardment of Beirut’s southern suburbs and as heavy ground fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants continues in southern Lebanon, with Israeli troops pushing further into the country.
At least 11 people were killed and dozens more injured after Israeli airstrikes devastated parts of central Beirut on Saturday – with diplomats scrambling to broker a ceasefire in the country.
The strike destroyed an eight-story building, leaving a crater in the ground, and was the fourth on the Lebanese capital in less than a week.
Lebanon’s civil defence said the death toll was provisional as emergency responders were still digging through the rubble looking for survivors.
A separate drone strike in the southern port city of Tyre killed one person and injured another, according to the country’s National News Agency.
Israel’s military did not issue a warning for residents to evacuate prior to the strikes in central Beirut and would not comment on those strikes or on the one in Tyre.
The news comes as heavy ground fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants continues in southern Lebanon, with Israeli troops pushing farther from the border.
US envoy Amos Hochstein travelled to the region this week in an attempt to broker a ceasefire deal to end the more than 13 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into full-on war over the last two months.
More than 3,500 people have been killed and over 15,000 wounded by Israeli bombardment in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry. 1.2 million people, or a quarter of the Lebanese population, were reportedly displaced by the fighting.
On the Israeli side, about 90 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians have been killed by rockets, drones and missiles in northern Israel and in fighting in Lebanon.
The world’s most expensive house is located in London, England.
Buckingham Palace, the official London residence of the king, is widely considered the most expensive house in the world, valued at around $4.9 billion.
Buckingham Palace is far from a traditional house with 775 rooms and 50,000 people visiting each year for receptions, dinners, state banquets and other events, according to the royal family website.
Buckingham Palace is considered the most expensive house in the world. (Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images I Fox Photos/Getty Images)
ROYAL FAMILY SPOUSES: KATE MIDDLETON, MEGHAN MARKLE, OTHER CURRENT SPOUSES OF ROYAL FAMILY MEMBERS
This, of course, is outside the half million tourists who visit the destination each year. In 2023-2024, about 530,000 tourists visited Buckingham Palace, according to Statista.
In addition to viewing the breathtaking palace, visitors often watch the famous Changing of the Guard ceremony.
For those who want a look inside Buckingham Palace, guests can view the state rooms in the summer as well as on select dates in the winter and spring when small guided tours are available, according to the Royal Collection Trust website.
The Changing of the Guard ceremony is one many tourists observe while visiting Buckingham Palace. (Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images)
OWNER OF WORLD’S LARGEST CAR COLLECTION HAS OVER 7,000 VEHICLES IN HIS POSSESSION
Since 1837, Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of the United Kingdom’s sovereigns, according to the royal family website.
Among the 775 rooms located in Buckingham Palace are 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 bedrooms for staff, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms, according to the royal family website.
The royal palace is full of breathtaking places, including the White Drawing Room, the Throne Room, the Ballroom and the 47-meter Picture Gallery filled with historical art.
The royal family waves to the public from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during events. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
SET SAIL ON WORLD’S LARGEST CRUISE SHIP, WHICH CAN ACCOMMODATE OVER 7,000 GUESTS PER VOYAGE
The Grand Staircase and 39-acre Palace Garden are other highlights.
The balcony of the royal palace is where generations of royals have stepped out for public appearances.
Another home ranked as one of the most expensive is Antilia in Mumbai, India.
Antilia holds the Guinness World Record for the “most expensive private house in the world.”
The mansion is estimated to be worth between $1 billion and $2 billion, according to Architectural Digest India.
It is owned by business magnate Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries.
The most expensive private residence is Antilia in Mubai, India, which is owned by Mukesh Ambani. (Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The 400,000-square-foot residence is 570 feet tall.
The 27 stories of Antilia include numerous swimming pools, a spa and a theater, according to Guinness World Records.
The property also includes 168 parking spaces and three helipads.
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