Pope Leo XIV is taking a bold stance on artificial intelligence, calling it “a challenge to human dignity, justice and labour” in his first major address since being elected leader of the Catholic Church.
The new pontiff is placing AI at the center of the Church’s moral agenda, warning that we’re entering a new industrial revolution with the same threats to workers and human rights seen over a century ago.
“In our own day… developments in the field of artificial intelligence pose new challenges,” Leo said, addressing the College of Cardinals on Saturday in the New Synod Hall.
He echoed Pope Leo XIII, who in 1891 issued Rerum Novarum, a foundational text of Catholic social teaching written in response to the human toll of the Industrial Revolution.
Pope Leo XIV meets the College of Cardinals in the New Synod Hall at the Vatican (AP)
Backdrop
Pope Leo XIV’s remarks follow a surge in global anxiety over AI’s role in the economy, warfare, and media integrity. The speech comes just days after:
- Former U.S. President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself as pope
- The White House reposted it, sparking backlash
- Italy’s Matteo Renzi called it “an image that offends believers”
Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday at age 88, had grown increasingly vocal about AI’s ethical threats, especially in military use, where he warned of “distancing from the immense tragedy of war.”
By invoking AI so early in his papacy, Pope Leo XIV is signaling a continuation and intensification of the Vatican’s effort to shape global discourse on ethics in tech.
Bottom line
The Catholic Church just placed artificial intelligence on its moral radar. Pope Leo XIV is sending a message: spiritual leadership must keep pace with technological power.
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