The Deal of the Century
Consultations & Convening
A series of private, closed-door meetings in Rome —
forging the case for a historic global AI treaty.
Starting late March 2026, the Coalition for a Baruch Plan for AI will begin Consultations in Rome, via Zoom, and in DC — as part of its Deal of the Century initiative — leading up to the 1st Deal of the Century Convening, a two-day, closed-door, multi-track event to be held on June 4–5, 2026 at Palazzo Falletti, in Rome, Italy.
The aim of the events is to contribute to forging an informal humanist AI alliance among a critical mass of key potential influencers of Trump’s AI policy who — leveraging favorable political conditions, a philosophical and situational awareness alignment, and the Vatican’s unique moral authority and influence — will jointly propose to President Donald Trump a convincing proposal to co-lead with President Xi Jinping a bold, timely, humanist and proper global AI treaty.
The meetings, in person and via Zoom, will bring together advisors, staffers, and envoys of such influencers, and potential introducers to them — and soon, possibly, some of those influencers themselves.
Humanity’s future may hinge on a handful of decisions — and a handful of decision-makers.
The unrestrained race toward Artificial Superintelligence is bringing humanity to a three-way fork. Middle outcomes are highly unlikely. Given the extreme concentration of AI power, a bold and timely global AI treaty can only happen if co-led by the US and China.
China has repeatedly called for global AI governance. The question is whether the United States will lead — or be led.
No treaty or a failed one. ASI emerges ungoverned. The outcome for humanity becomes a coin flip — at best.
A flawed treaty entrenches a durable global authoritarian oligarchy — a dystopia administered through AI.
A proper treaty prevents ASI and reduces concentration of power — unleashing unimagined abundance and freedom.
The Deal of the Century Consultations and Convening exist to maximize the probability of Path C.
The Vatican is uniquely positioned to catalyze what no secular body can.
Pope Leo XIV has made AI governance central to his papacy. The Rome Call for AI Ethics — signed by 11 world religious traditions in Hiroshima — positions Rome as the convening center for a global humanist consensus on AI.
A remarkable number of key potential influencers of US AI policy are Catholic, Christian, or deeply sympathetic to humanist concerns about the creation of a “digital god.” One of the most senior among them has publicly delegated moral leadership on AI to the Church.
“The American government is not equipped to provide moral leadership… I think the Church is.”
— A key potential influencer of Trump’s AI policy, November 2025Rome offers what no other venue can: neutral moral ground, interfaith credibility, and direct channels to consciences that no diplomatic cable can reach.
A narrow opening. A rare alignment.
Multiple Trump-Xi summits are planned for 2026. Trump’s approval ratings hover near historic lows. Public opinion has shifted decisively:
- 63% of US voters believe humans will lose control of AI
- 77% of all US voters support a strong international AI treaty
- 78% of US Republicans believe AI could threaten human existence
The public appetite exists. What’s missing is the elite pathway. These meetings aim to build it.
What the meetings seek to achieve
- Shape a common humanist vision for a bold US-China-led AI treaty that can be framed as a pragmatic pitch for Trump — “peace through strength,” not sovereignty surrender
- Align three parallel strategic tracks: direct persuasion of Trump’s circle, UN institutional legitimacy, and non-superpower coalition formation
- Activate a humanist AI alliance across philosophical and religious traditions — uniting those committed to human dignity and opposed to ungoverned Superintelligence
- Position Rome as an ongoing coordination hub for this convergence — leveraging the Vatican’s moral authority and Pope Leo XIV’s embrace of AI governance as a defining mission
Three tracks. One convergence.
Track 1 — Superpower Persuasion. The core mission. Working within the logic of Trump’s inner circle to make a global AI treaty look like a strategic win. Built on a 356-page Strategic Memo — a treasure trove of tailored persuasion profiles, convergence scenarios, and treaty-making frameworks synthesized from 667+ sources.
Track 2 — Institutional Legitimacy. Building expert consensus through UN bodies — including the High-Level Expert Panel on AGI and the UN AI Advisory Body. These create governance infrastructure for when political will arrives.
Track 3 — Coalition of the Willing. Demonstrating treaty viability through middle-power coordination — creating urgency for the US by showing governance frameworks can advance with or without American leadership.
The Rome meetings assume Track 1 is most fundamental at this moment. Tracks 2 and 3 play essential supporting roles — and the Convening fosters convergence among all three.
From consultations to convening
Consultations. Private one-on-one and small-group meetings with prospective participants, Vatican figures, and partner organizations. Shaping the agenda. Testing the arguments. Building the room.
Deepening engagement. Strategic Memo v3.0 published. Systematic outreach intensifies. Working sessions with engaged partners across Rome, DC, and the Bay Area.
The Convening. Two-day, closed-door, multi-track event at Palazzo Falletti, Rome. Track A: shaping a common humanist treaty vision. Track B: aligning the three strategic paths. 15–25 participants.
The Coalition for a Baruch Plan for AI
The Coalition for a Baruch Plan for AI comprises 10 international NGOs and 40+ advisors — including former officials at the UN, National Security Agency, World Economic Forum, Yale, and Princeton — plus 24 contributors to the Strategic Memo. Launched in July 2024, seed-funded by Jaan Tallinn’s Survival and Flourishing Fund.
The initiative draws its name from the Baruch Plan — history’s boldest treaty proposal, presented by President Truman to the United Nations on June 14, 1946, for the international control of nuclear weapons and energy. On the very day Donald Trump was born.
The organizations behind this initiative
The Coalition is comprised of 10 international NGOs with combined decades of expertise in AI governance, global security, peace-building, and democratic institution-making.
Geneva-based international nonprofit dedicated since 2015 to facilitating democratic, timely, and efficient global governance of AI and digital communications. Led by founder and Executive Director Rufo Guerreschi, it convened the Coalition in July 2024.
Established in 1947, one of the foremost NGOs in global federal democratization. The WFM convened the 2,500-NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court that led to 125 state signatories — demonstrating unmatched capacity for building civil society coalitions around transformative governance.
An initiative advancing the development and ratification of an international AI treaty to reduce catastrophic AI risks and ensure benefits for all. Its influential open letter has been signed by hundreds of top AI experts, including Yoshua Bengio and Stuart Russell.
International nonprofit with chapters worldwide, promoting a powerful global democratic organization to regulate AI. Has gained comprehensive mainstream media coverage and catalyzed extensive grassroots engagement, translating public concern into organized political pressure.
Founded by Wendell Wallach (Yale, Carnegie Council), ICGAI brought together globally diverse advisors and speakers to advance participatory global AI governance. Its institutional network and intellectual legacy continue to underpin the Coalition’s work.
Established in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, a leading educational, research, and advocacy institution for global peace, reconciliation, and international cooperation. Brings deep expertise in conflict resolution and governance frameworks.
Works to investigate, demonstrate, and foster practical ways to improve and safeguard humanity’s future in both the short and long term. Founded by David Manheim, a leading AI safety and governance researcher and CBPAI advisor.
Aims to galvanize collective action to ensure humanity survives this decade — operating on the premise that if we achieve that, we are likely to create an unimaginably promising future for all.
A US-based grassroots organizing effort for an international treaty to pause advanced AI training until we know how to proceed safely. Bridges AI safety research with direct political advocacy in Washington.
Aims to reduce existential risk via global governance proposals and public awareness campaigns. Focuses on translating scientific risk assessments into actionable policy recommendations and media engagement.
Other Organizations & Participants
Additional organizations and individuals are participating in or exploring engagement with the Consultations and Convening.
The full participant list is confidential. These meetings are by invitation only.
If your organization is interested in participating, or for any inquiries or introductions:
info@trustlesscomputing.org