STEUBENVILLE, OHIO—Franciscan University of Steubenville has established a new AI and Human Flourishing Chair that will contribute a leading Catholic voice to one of the most consequential intellectual, cultural, and technological debates of the 21st century.

The new endowed chair will anchor Franciscan’s efforts to examine the opportunities and challenges presented by AI through the lens of Catholic teaching, human dignity, and authentic human flourishing. As part of the initiative, the University has launched a national search for a distinguished scholar with expertise in both AI and the Catholic understanding of the human person.

This major academic initiative is supported by a $5 million pledge commitment from trustee Dr. Dan McMahon and his wife, Nancy. The McMahons’ commitment reflects a shared conviction that Catholic higher education has a critical role to play in helping society navigate AI. The gift also serves as a catalytic investment in the University’s efforts to advance its Be Light Strategic Plan and strengthen its leadership in addressing the most pressing questions facing the Church and society.

“As a Catholic university, Franciscan has an opportunity—and a responsibility—to help illuminate the path forward,” said Franciscan University President Father Dave Pivonka, TOR. “Through the AI and Human Flourishing Chair, we will lead a conversation that is not only about what technology can do, but about who we are called to become. The future will not be shaped by artificial intelligence alone. It will be shaped by the men and women who decide how artificial intelligence is used. Franciscan University intends to help form those leaders.”

The endowed chair is the result of conversations between University administrators and the McMahons about the growing impact of AI on education, professional life, culture, and the future of human flourishing.

“The pace of change in artificial intelligence has accelerated dramatically over the last six months, and the need for a serious Catholic response has become increasingly urgent,” said Dan McMahon, a pediatric genitourinary surgeon and member of the Franciscan University Board of Trustees. “The Catholic Church possesses a deep understanding of human nature, both its strengths and its weaknesses, and that wisdom is essential if these technologies are to serve individuals and society rather than diminish them. A proper application of that understanding is critical to protect individuals and society from the dehumanizing and utilitarian tendencies of technology. Technology should always be at the service of the human person and the common good.”

At a time when many institutions are only beginning to grapple with the implications of artificial intelligence, the McMahons’ investment positions Franciscan University to meet the moment with clarity, conviction, and a distinctly Catholic vision of the human person.

“Nancy and Dan McMahon have recognized both the urgency of this moment and the opportunity before us,” said Father Pivonka. “Their extraordinary generosity will help ensure that Franciscan University studies a defining question of our age in light of the Catholic intellectual tradition. We are deeply grateful for their partnership, their vision, and their commitment to helping form future leaders who will use these technologies to serve God and the person.”

AI is rapidly reshaping nearly every aspect of modern life, from education and health care to business, communications, and scientific research. While these emerging technologies offer tremendous opportunities, they also raise profound questions about human dignity, freedom, work, relationships, creativity, and what it means to be human.

Franciscan’s new chair announcement comes at a pivotal moment for the Church and higher education.

In recent months, Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly called attention to the transformative impact of AI and the need for educational institutions to engage emerging technologies in ways that serve the human person and promote authentic human flourishing. Addressing Catholic college and university leaders earlier this month, the Holy Father urged educators to bring the wisdom of the Church to bear on the opportunities and challenges presented by technological change.

“Just as Pope Leo XIII brought Gospel clarity to the social and economic upheavals of the Industrial Revolution, Pope Leo XIV is bringing the Church’s wisdom to bear on the profound transformations being driven by artificial intelligence,” said Dr. Stephen Hildebrand, provost of Franciscan University. “With this new chair, Franciscan University will eagerly answer the Holy Father’s call to Catholic universities to help protect and advance the dignity of the human person while harnessing the tremendous potential of these technologies for the common good.”

The AI and Human Flourishing professor will provide expert guidance not only to engineering and computer science students learning to implement these technologies, but also to students and faculty across the humanities, theology, philosophy, business, education, communications, and the sciences. The chairholder will teach students, conduct original research, engage public audiences, mentor faculty, and help guide the University’s broader efforts related to AI and technological formation.

The University is seeking a scholar capable of bridging disciplines that are often kept separate in contemporary higher education. The ideal candidate will possess expertise in AI and machine learning, as well as a deep understanding of ethics, philosophy, theology, and the Catholic vision of the human person.

University leaders hope the position will spark meaningful conversations throughout the Church, higher education, industry, and society led by a scholar capable of helping shape the future of one of the most important fields of the modern era.

“When we look at our young grandchildren, we are convinced that we have to get this right—and we have to get it right now,” said Dan and Nancy McMahon. “Artificial intelligence will affect every student at Franciscan University and, ultimately, every human being. Franciscan University has long been a beacon of truth for both the Church and the broader culture. At this moment, it has an obligation to speak clearly and help form the leaders who will shape the future.”