AI and Human Trafficking Concerns by Vatican

(OSV News) — The Vatican’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations has raised alarm about the increasing incidence of human trafficking, emphasizing the severe consequences for children and refugees. During a high-level meeting focused on the U.N.’s Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, Msgr. Marco Formica, counselor at the Holy See’s permanent observer mission to the U.N., underscored the essential need for international cooperation in combating modern slavery and highlighted growing technological threats to vulnerable populations.

Msgr. Formica addressed the assembly on November 25, pointing out that despite progress in international efforts, the number of victims globally is climbing. The U.N.’s Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates approximately 50 million individuals are subjected to various forms of trafficking, particularly sexual exploitation and forced labor.

At this assembly, acting head of UNODC’s organized crime branch, Ilias Chatzis, noted that trafficking networks have become increasingly violent and complex, making them more challenging to dismantle. He stated that a significant portion of the victims is women and girls, primarily trafficked for sexual exploitation, while children make up 38% of detected trafficking cases.

Addressing the audience, trafficking survivor Shamere McKenzie, now the CEO of the nonprofit Sun Gate Foundation, emphasized the urgency for governments to act more decisively against trafficking, citing her personal experience of exploitation. She poignantly remarked, “My worth had been reduced to dollars and violence.”

The alarming reality is underscored by the lucrative nature of trafficking, which is considered one of the fastest-growing crimes, generating approximately $150 billion annually. Victims are typically trafficked from lower-income to higher-income countries, compounding the issue as economic disparities are exploited.

Msgr. Formica specifically drew attention to the plight of children, particularly those who are unaccompanied or separated from their families, highlighting the dual exploitation of girls for sexual purposes and boys for forced labor or criminal activities.

While these forms of exploitation are deeply troubling, the digital landscape poses additional risks. Msgr. Formica warned that rapidly evolving technologies, notably artificial intelligence, are being weaponized by traffickers to enhance their operations. The U.S. Department of State’s 2025 Trafficking in Persons report elaborates on this concern, stating that traffickers utilize AI-driven tools for creating tailored approaches to lure victims. The sophistication with which vulnerabilities are exploited represents a dangerous technological evolution in trafficking strategies.

However, the report balances this perspective by recognizing that AI could also be utilized as a powerful tool for prevention and intervention against trafficking. Msgr. Formica echoed this duality, calling for AI to be employed to foster human dignity and promote justice, a sentiment shared by Pope Leo XIV and Pope Francis.

At the meeting, Msgr. Formica also welcomed the U.N. assembly’s political declaration on the global anti-trafficking agenda, emphasizing the need for enhanced international cooperation, family reunification, and stronger criminal justice responses. Nevertheless, he clarified the Holy See’s position on certain language in the declaration, specifically regarding usages surrounding gender and reproductive health, affirming the Church’s commitment to upholding the inherent dignity of humans.

Concluding his address, Msgr. Formica reiterated the critical message from Pope Leo XIV regarding the need for children to experience a culture of life amidst global turmoil, emphasizing the role of societal respect and dialogue in combating the dehumanizing trends associated with human trafficking.