ZUCKERBERG, WIFE MEET POPE FRANCIS
Facebook CEO gives pontiff a model of firm’s solar-powered drone, holds a town hall Q&A in Italy, and also aids quake relief efforts
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Monday — and the couple didn’t come emptyhanded.
Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post that they gave the pope a model of Aquila, a solar-powered drone designed to beam internet access to remote areas.
“We told him how much we admire his message of mercy and tenderness, and how he’s found new ways to communicate with people of every faith around the world,” wrote Zuckerberg, who was dressed in a suit instead of his signature gray T-shirt. “We also discussed the importance of connecting people, especially in parts of the world without internet access.”
The couple also visited Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and discussed what the company has done in the wake of the 6.2 magnitude earthquake that struck central Italy last week and how tech jobs are fueling the country’s economy.
Zuckerberg later held a town hall Q&A where he answered questions about Facebook’s safety efforts, augmented reality, his daughter and an artificial intelligence system he’s building for his home.
The 32-year-old said in January that he wanted to build something similar to the robot butler J.A.R.V.I.S. in “Iron Man 3” as part of a challenge for the new year. Zuckerberg said he hopes to have a demo next month, and so far it can control the lights, gates and tempera-