Share

Zuckerberg Meets Pope Francis in Rome

Not satisfied to sit on a $54 billion fortune, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been keeping himself busy building an artificial intelligence system to “operate and control his home”, Recode reports.

Advertisement

“The digital world is a public square, a meeting place where we can either encourage or demean one another, engage in a meaningful discussion or unfair attacks”, the pope wrote January 24 in his message marking the 50th World Communications Day. Pope Francis met Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom in February, where they discussed the unifying power of photos.

During the Q&A, Zuckerberg answered questions about people increasingly looking to social media outlets, such as Facebook and Twitter twtr , to get their news.

Zuckerberg wrote: “We shared our work with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to help people around the world”.

Zuckerberg and the Pope talked about how to use communications technology to help reducing poverty and encourage a culture of encounter.

Aquila is created to beam internet signal to people within a 60-mile communications diameter for up to 90 days at a time.

The prime motive for Zuckerberg’s visit to Italy was the recent natural disaster that rocked the Umbria region, leaving more than 300 dead. Upon its launch, the account broke a new record for gaining over 1 million followers in 12 hours.

Even so, the AI isn’t quite ready for primetime: Zuckerberg says the house only responds to his own voice, much to his wife’s disappointment.

Facebook Connectivity Lab has been heavily investing in new technologies as a way of bringing internet access to over 1.6 billion people who have no connectivity in remote regions of the planet.

Mr Zuckerberg also met the Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (below), where they discussed the recent Italian quake as well as Facebook’s investment into the Italian economy.

Advertisement

Zuckerberg posted on his wall that they started their first day in Italy with a run past the Circus Maximus and House of Augustus up to the Colosseum.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg visits Africa