Carbajo-Núñez Martín ,
"Mensuram bonam". Ethical Investments in the Age of AI, (24.04.2026), (43),
in
Blog Accademia Alfonsiana, 43-EN (2026) p. 2
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The document of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, entitled “Mensuram bonam” (MB), offers an ethical reflection on how financial investments can reconcile economic returns with social responsibility, moving beyond a purely speculative logic.
MB presents twenty-four criteria to ensure that investments are consistent with the Catholic tradition and take into account not only the necessary financial returns, “but also human dignity, care for creation, and inclusive growth,” always bound to love (MB 24).
1. When finance loses its measure
Investments lose their “proper measure” when they respond to a purely technical logic: maximizing returns in the shortest possible time. This risk has increased with the digitalization of financial markets and the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI).
A significant portion of market operations is now driven by algorithms. Moreover, more than 40% of CEOs surveyed by PwC believe that, without AI, their organizations may not be profitable within ten years.
If not properly guided, AI risks reducing the complexity of reality to quantifiable variables. Financial decisions become faster and sometimes more profitable in the short term, but not necessarily more just or more humane.
For this reason, MB emphasizes the need for moral discernment in financial decisions. Pope Leo XIV also calls for “a wise use” of AI, without renouncing “the creative process” (GMS 2026). Indeed, when guided by ethical criteria, AI can become a powerful tool for assessing the environmental impact of investments and promoting sustainable economic models.
2. Development model and integral ecology
No investment is morally neutral. When investing, one must consider its social impact (impact investing) and whether it represents the best approach (best in class) for promoting integral human development. This concerns financial institutions, investment funds, companies, foundations, religious institutions, and even individual investors.
Investing from the perspective of integral ecology means evaluating the impact of each financial decision on multiple levels: social, environmental, cultural, institutional, and spiritual.
3. Systemic vision and entrepreneurial awareness
MB calls for adopting a systemic vision, capable of grasping the interconnection between economy, technology, society, and the environment. In fact, when investing, decisions are being made about employment, local communities, ecological balances, and future generations. These decisions determine which companies will grow, which technologies will be developed, which territories will be enhanced, and which communities will be supported.
Entrepreneurs and investors are called to be aware of their vocation and to develop a genuine entrepreneurial conscience. They are not merely technical operators, but moral agents who participate in building society. Therefore, they must avoid “fiduciary absolutism,” that is, focusing “exclusively on profits” (MB 24) and on maximizing shareholder value.
Conclusions
MB reminds us that investing is not simply about growing capital, but about directing resources toward more just, sustainable, and inclusive forms of development. The decisive question is not only how we invest, but for what future we invest.
Within a systemic vision of the economy, investments are oriented toward the common good, the dignity of the person, and the care of our common home. Only in this way can finance recover its “proper measure” and become an instrument of human development and integral ecology.
Martín Carbajo-Núñez, OFM
Blog Alfonsiana: ("Mensuram bonam". Investimenti etici nell’era dell’IA", online); Traduzioni: Español; English
[2] PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO Survey, «Reinvention on the edge of tomorrow», in Internet: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/ceo-survey/2025/28th-ceo-survey.pdf
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