Vatican City – Pope Leo XIV has issued a stark warning about the risks posed by generative artificial intelligence (AI), cautioning that the technology could undermine human identity, distort relationships, and deepen social divisions.
Speaking on Saturday to mark the World Day of Social Communications, the pontiff emphasized that AI systems inevitably reflect the worldview of their creators and can reproduce biases embedded in the data they process.
“The challenge… is a matter of protecting human identity and authentic relationships,” Pope Leo XIV said.
Generative AI’s Growing Influence
The pope’s remarks come as generative AI continues to advance rapidly, producing images, music, and text that are increasingly indistinguishable from human-made works.
In 2023, his predecessor Pope Francis became the subject of a viral AI-generated image showing him in a white puffer jacket, underscoring the technology’s ability to blur the line between reality and simulation.
Since then, generative AI has been embraced by public figures, including US President Donald Trump, who has posted or reposted computer-generated images on his social media accounts.
Concentration of Power
Pope Leo XIV expressed concern that only a handful of companies hold significant influence over AI development, warning that this concentration of power increases “the difficulty of distinguishing between reality and simulation.”
He criticized systems that present statistical probability as reliable knowledge, arguing that such tools ultimately provide only approximations rather than truth.
Call for Governance and Education
The pontiff urged governments and institutions to establish effective governance frameworks for AI and called for young people to be educated about how algorithms shape perceptions of reality.
“We must ensure that future generations understand how these systems influence thought and opinion,” he said.
Military Applications Condemned
Last month, Pope Leo XIV also condemned the accelerating use of AI in military contexts, warning against delegating life-and-death decisions to machines.
Since his election last May as the first pope from the United States, Leo XIV has consistently raised alarms about the growing influence of AI technologies, positioning the Vatican as a moral voice in global debates over technology and ethics.
Conclusion
Pope Leo XIV’s latest warning highlights the urgent need for ethical oversight of AI as its capabilities expand. His call to protect human identity and authentic relationships resonates at a time when societies worldwide are grappling with the implications of technologies that can reshape reality itself.
