Pope Leo XIV Takes Stand on AI: Calls for Ethical Framework and Regulation

Pope Leo makes AI's threat to humanity a signature issue | TechCrunch

Pope Leo XIV is making the threat of AI to humanity a key issue of his legacy, challenging the technology industry that has spent years courting the Vatican. The new American pope's namesake, Leo XIII, stood up for the rights of factory workers during the Gilded Age, a period from the late 1870s to the late 1890s of swift economic change and extreme wealth inequality led by corrupt industrial robber barons. Speaking to a hall of cardinals last month, the pope said he would rely on 2,000 years of church social teaching to "respond to another industrial revolution and to innovations in the field of artificial intelligence that pose challenges to human dignity, justice, and labor," reports The Wall Street Journal. In attempts to shape Rome's dialogue on AI and, by association, influence governments and policymakers, leaders of Google, Microsoft, Cisco, and other tech giants have flown to the Vatican to preach the good word of emerging technologies. The Vatican has pushed for a binding international treaty on AI, something most tech CEOs would say threatens to stifle innovation.

Pope Leo XIV Urges Tech Executives to Come Up With an Ethical AI Framework

Certified Sleep Science Coach, Certified Stress Management Coach Pope Leo XIV, who took over leadership of the Catholic Church in May, is revealing one area that he'll be focusing on: artificial intelligence. The Pope has called for tech companies to develop a "superior ethical criterion" against which AI should be evaluated. This message was delivered to tech leaders, including leaders from Google, Meta, OpenAI, and IBM, attending the second annual conference on AI and its ethics in Rome. The framework the Pope is asking for would ensure that AI takes "into account the well-being of the human person not only materially, but also intellectually and spiritually." In the Friday message, the Pope also points to AI's unprecedented and rapid access to information as potentially impacting children's development the most. "Our youth," he said, "must be helped, and not hindered, in their journey towards maturity and true responsibility." This isn't the first time the Pope has discussed AI; he mentioned it in his first papal address in May. He also recently spoke of the challenges that "call into question respect for the dignity of the human person" in a speech to Italian bishops. Artificial intelligence, biotechnologies, the data economy and social media were all included in that speech. He's not condemning AI outright. There is potential for good, he noted, saying that if used right, AI could "promote greater equality." However, the Pope notes that AI also offers the possibility of "misuse for selfish gain" to "foment conflict and aggression." The Vatican doesn't have any regulatory power, but that hasn't stopped it from being vocal about the ethics of AI. In 2020, the Vatican created the Rome Call for AI Ethics, a document about the ethical considerations of AI algorithms. IBM, Qualcomm and Microsoft all signed on, agreeing to abide by the principles. The Pope's firm stance on AI is similar to that of his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, who urged that AI be used only to benefit humanity.

Pope Leo warns politicians of the challenges posed by AI

VATICAN CITY, June 21 (Reuters) - Pope Leo warned politicians on Saturday of the challenges posed by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), addressing its potential impact on younger people as a prime concern. Speaking at an event attended by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and parliamentary delegations from 68 countries, Leo revisited a topic that he has raised on a number of occasions during the first few weeks of his papacy. "In particular, it must not be forgotten that artificial intelligence functions as a tool for the good of human beings, not to diminish them or even to replace them," Leo said at an event held as part of the Roman Catholic Jubilee or Holy Year. AI proponents say it will speed up scientific and technological progress and help people to carry out routine tasks, granting them more time to pursue higher-value and creative work. The U.S.-born pontiff said attention was needed to protect "healthy, fair and sound lifestyles, especially for the good of younger generations." He noted that AI's "static memory" was in no way comparable to the "creative, dynamic" power of human memory. "Our personal life has greater value than any algorithm, and social relationships require spaces for development that far transcend the limited patterns that any soulless machine can pre-package," he said. Leo, who became pope in May, has spoken previously of the threat posed by AI to jobs and has called on journalists to use it responsibly. Writing by Keith Weir Editing by Tomasz Janowski Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Artificial Intelligence

Pope Leo XIV flags AI impact on kids' intellectual and spiritual development

ROME (AP) -- Pope Leo XIV warned Friday that artificial intelligence could negatively impact the intellectual, neurological and spiritual development of young people as he pressed one of the priorities of his young pontificate. History's first American pope sent a message to a conference of AI and ethics, part of which was taking place in the Vatican in a sign of the Holy See's concern for the new technologies and what they mean for humanity. In the message, Leo said any further development of AI must be evaluated according to the "superior ethical criterion" of the need to safeguard the dignity of each human being while respecting the diversity of the world's population. He warned specifically that new generations are most at risk given they have never had such quick access to information. "All of us, I am sure, are concerned for children and young people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development," he said in the message. "Society's well-being depends upon their being given the ability to develop their God-given gifts and capabilities," and not allow them to confuse mere access to data with intelligence. "In the end, authentic wisdom has more to do with recognizing the true meaning of life, than with the availability of data," he said. Leo, who was elected in May after the death of Pope Francis, has identified AI as one of the most critical matters facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labor. He has explained his concern for AI by invoking his namesake, Pope Leo XIII. That Leo was pope during the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and made the plight of workers, and the need to guarantee their rights and dignity, a key priority. Toward the end of his pontificate, Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it. Francis said politicians must take the lead in making sure AI remains human-centric, so that decisions about when to use weapons or even less-lethal tools always remain made by humans and not machines. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope Leo XIV warns of AI's threats to human dignity and labor

The big picture: Two days after his election, Pope Leo XIV addressed a gathering of cardinals in Rome and made it clear that artificial intelligence would be at the center of his papacy. The new pontiff, who hails from Chicago and holds a mathematics degree, invoked the legacy of his namesake, Leo XIII, who had defended workers' rights during the upheaval of the industrial revolution. "Today, the church offers its trove of social teaching to respond to another industrial revolution and to innovations in the field of artificial intelligence that pose challenges to human dignity, justice and labor," Leo XIV told the College of Cardinals, who responded with a standing ovation. Pope Leo XIV's warning comes after years of dialogue between the Vatican and Silicon Valley. Over the past decade, executives from companies such as Google, Microsoft, Cisco, and others have traveled to Rome to discuss the ethical and societal implications of artificial intelligence with church leaders. These meetings have often been held behind closed doors, with both sides seeking to influence the global conversation around technology and its impact on humanity. Despite ongoing discussions, a significant divide remains between the Vatican and the tech industry. The Catholic Church has advocated for a binding international treaty on AI, a position that some technology companies have resisted in favor of voluntary ethical guidelines. The European Union has begun implementing legally binding regulations, while some in the US government have pushed back against such measures. Meanwhile, certain tech executives have rejected even broad ethical frameworks, preferring to avoid formal oversight altogether. Pope Leo XIV's concerns echo those of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who became increasingly wary of artificial intelligence as he learned more about its capabilities and potential dangers. Francis met with tech leaders and warned of a "technological dictatorship," urging governments to create binding international rules to regulate AI. In a message to G-7 leaders, Francis described AI as "fascinating and terrifying," and cautioned that humanity could face a future without hope if "choices by machines" replaced human decision-making. The Vatican has also highlighted the risks of AI concentrating power and wealth in the hands of a few companies, the potential for autonomous weapons, and the threat of children growing up in a world shaped by dehumanized digital interactions. In a recent document, the Vatican warned that even if AI has positive uses, unchecked development could come at the expense of the many. Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, a longtime associate of Pope Leo XIV, underscored the urgency of the issue. "Leo XIV wants the worlds of science and politics to immediately tackle this problem without allowing scientific progress to advance with arrogance, harming those who have to submit to its power," Versaldi told the Wall Street Journal. He added, "These tools shouldn't be demonized, but they need to be regulated. The question is, who will regulate them? It's not credible for them to be regulated by their makers. There needs to be a superior authority." As the Vatican hosts a major conference on AI, ethics, and corporate governance, tech executives and church officials alike are watching closely to see how Pope Leo XIV will use his influence. The pontiff is expected to deliver a written message to conference participants, but has not yet met with tech CEOs so early in his reign. Upcoming meetings with leaders from Microsoft and Google may provide further insight into whether the new pope will offer guidance or a challenge to the companies shaping the future of AI.

Pope Leo and the Next 'Industrial Revolution'

To update the Church's teaching for the age of AI, Leo should revisit the 19th century. The pope didn't take long to explain why he picked the name Leo. Two days after his election, he cited his inspiration: the preceding Pope Leo, who led the Church while the West confronted the social and economic disruptions of the Industrial Revolution. The world now faces "another industrial revolution," Leo XIV said last month, spurred not by mechanized manufacturing but by artificial intelligence. In particular, he noted the challenges that AI poses to "human dignity, justice, and labor," three concerns that his 19th-century namesake prioritized as he responded to the technological transformations of his time. In 1891, Leo XIII published Rerum Novarum, a moral and intellectual framework that addressed the growing inequality, materialism, and exploitation ushered in by the Industrial Revolution. The current pope has signaled that AI's arrival demands a similar intervention; if the earlier Leo's tenure is any indication, it could be the most ambitious and enduring project of Leo XIV's papacy. Rerum Novarum will be a guiding influence. Leo XIII insisted in Rerum Novarum that labor is both "personal" and "necessary" for each individual, and that societies should protect the dignity of their workers as they pursue economic growth. Idolizing capital widens inequality, hence the "misery and wretchedness" that many employers inflicted on much of the working class during the Industrial Revolution. The pope stated that socialism was no solution, but that employers must guarantee their workers reasonable hours, just wages, safe workplaces, and the right to unionize. Randy Boyagoda: The pope's most revealing choice so far These statements by the Church gave crucial backing to workers' movements and civic organizations fighting for labor protections. In Europe, Rerum Novarum consolidated Catholic support for workers and bolstered the political influence of labor unions, many of which adopted Christian principles to advance their cause. Leo XIII's interventions played a significant role in the United States as well. The pope supported American worker movements such as the Knights of Labor, and inspired Catholic reformers including Monsignor John Ryan, whose advocacy for a universal living wage influenced architects of the New Deal. Leo XIII also commissioned the likes of Saint Frances Cabrini and Saint Katharine Drexel to expand their missionary work, ultimately seeding hospitals, schools, orphanages, and public-housing complexes that addressed injustices faced particularly by immigrants, Black Americans, and Native Americans. Rerum Novarum also had a profound influence on the Catholic Church itself. The document inaugurated what's now known as modern Catholic social teaching, an expansive intellectual tradition that emphasizes the common good, social justice, human dignity, and concern for the poor. Now Leo XIV has an opportunity to update this tradition for the age of AI. Like his namesake, he could marshal the Church's intellectual, cultural, and institutional resources, helping build a moral consensus about how to use a new technology that threatens to degrade humanity rather than serve it. Vice President J. D. Vance recently conceded that America is not equipped to provide this kind of leadership, but that the Catholic Church is. Leo has plenty of material to work with. Earlier this year, two administrative bodies within the Vatican produced an advisory document called Antiqua et Nova, which uses the Catholic intellectual tradition to argue that AI cannot engage with the world as a human can. For one thing, no technology has the capacity "to savor what is true, good, and beautiful," the authors write. Lacking interiority and a conscience, AI cannot authentically grasp meaning, assume moral accountability, or form relationships. As a result, the document contends, developers and users must take responsibility for AI products, ensuring that they don't exacerbate inequality, impose unsustainable environmental costs, or make decisions in war that could result in the indiscriminate loss of life. Tyler Austin Harper: What happens when people don't understand how AI works Both of us have contributed to initiatives that seek to better understand AI in the context of Catholic social teaching. Mariele is a member of an AI research group within the Vatican that recently published a book, Encountering Artificial Intelligence, that considers the ethical impacts of AI in politics, education, the family, and other spheres of life. In health care, for example, AI can help improve access to certain kinds of assessment and treatment, but it can also perpetuate disparities through biases reflected in data, or disrupt the relationship between patients and health-care professionals. We are both part of a cohort at the University of Southern California investigating the ethical and social implications of transhumanism, especially as it intersects with AI. The group consists mostly of theologians and Catholic bioethicists, but we have found that many scholars working outside the Catholic tradition are eager to engage with the Church's thinking on these issues. Encouraging such collaboration will be crucial for Leo. As was true of the technology of the Industrial Revolution, AI will become most dangerous when economies prioritize profit and technological development over human flourishing and the dignity of labor. Left unregulated, markets will continually choose efficiency at the expense of workers, risking widespread unemployment and the dehumanization of the kinds of work that manage to survive. If the social order does not put technology at the service of people, markets will put the latter at the service of the former. Although the Church may not have the same influence in the secular 21st century that it did in the 19th, there are signs of a possible Catholic resurgence -- particularly among young people -- that could help Leo reach a wider audience. Just as it did during the first Industrial Revolution, the Church has a chance to help safeguard work that is dignified, justly paid, and commensurate with human flourishing. The pope's new name is a hopeful sign that this responsibility won't go unmet.

Pope Leo XIV warns AI is a threat to humanity and calls for a treaty

The tech giants of Silicon Valley will be trying to change the Vatican's mind on the issue. In a recent article, The Wall Street Journal drew attention to the fact that Pope Leo XIV considers artificial intelligence to be a threat to humanity. In a recent speech to a group of cardinals, the newly appointed pope noted that recent developments in the field of AI are a challenge to "human dignity, justice, and labor." The Vatican wants the world's countries to agree on a binding treaty that limits AI development, a direction that the tech giants of Silicon Valley absolutely don't want happening -- for obvious reasons. This week, representatives of Anthropic, Cohere, Google, IBM, Meta, Microsoft, and Palantir will be travelling to Rome to persuade the Catholic Church to embrace the new technology.

Pope Leo's message for AI executives

At the Second Annual Rome Conference on Artificial Intelligence on Friday, Pope Leo talked about where AI is headed. The event was attended by Vatican officials, American academics, and Silicon Valley executives from Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and more. The new pope urged serious reflection on "the inherently ethical dimension of AI, as well as its responsible governance." Pope Leo acknowledged AI's "extraordinary potential" but said there were "troubling questions on its possible repercussions on humanity's openness to truth and beauty, on our distinctive ability to grasp and process reality." The Trump administration is touting legislation, embedded in the "big, beautiful bill" that the Senate hopes to pass before summer recess, that would bar states from regulating AI for a decade. There has been bipartisan opposition to the measure, including from staunch Trump supporters like Marjorie Taylor-Greene. Even Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei thinks the bill is "far too blunt an instrument." In a New York Times op-ed, Amodei wrote, "I believe that these systems could change the world, fundamentally, within two years; in 10 years, all bets are off. Without a clear plan for a federal response, a moratorium would give us the worst of both worlds -- no ability for states to act, and no national policy as a backstop." Pope Leo said AI's benefits and risks must be evaluated using a "superior ethical criterion," adding that it "challenges all of us to reflect more deeply on the true nature and uniqueness of our shared human dignity." He added that "access to data -- however extensive -- must not be confused with intelligence." The Vatican has been monitoring AI development since at least 2020, issuing a "Call for AI Ethics" aiming to "create a future in which digital innovation and technological progress grant mankind its centrality." IBM and Microsoft participated in the paper. In 2023, Pope Francis warned about a "technological dictatorship" unless AI was subject to a binding international treaty, and was particularly concerned about military usage. Earlier this year, the U.S. announced "Thunderforge," a Scale AI program to integrate AI into military planning and operations. This past week, OpenAI landed a $200 million defense contract, and tech execs were sworn in as Army Reserve officers, advising on AI use. Pope Leo XIV named himself a successor to the pope who supported labour rights during the Industrial Revolution. In his first public address after becoming pope in May, Leo said that because of AI progress, society was in the midst of a new industrial revolution, with "new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor."

Pope Leo wades into business regulation, preaching the idea of an ethical AI framework to tech executives

Despite the Vatican's lack of regulatory power, Pope Leo XIV is increasingly advocating for ethical AI oversight on the part of governments and companies, just a month into his papacy. The pontiff, who was elected in May following the death of Pope Francis, sent a message dated Tuesday to Silicon Valley executives and Vatican officials on Friday at the Holy See's second annual conference on AI, ethics, and corporate governance held at the Apostalic Palace in Vatican City. In his message, published by the Vatican, Leo said AI technology is a great tool but also could be misused and cause harm, especially for developmentally vulnerable children and young people. AI must take into account the uniqueness of the human person in order to operate ethically, he added. "AI, especially Generative AI, has opened new horizons on many different levels, including enhancing research in healthcare and scientific discovery, but also raises troubling questions on its possible repercussions on humanity's openness to truth and beauty, on our distinctive ability to grasp and process reality," he said. Although the Vatican doesn't have explicit regulatory power, Sacred Heart University Catholic studies professor Daniel Rober said the Holy See often lobbies foreign governments to advance its agenda. By making ethical AI regulation a priority, Leo is also sending a message to individual Catholics and Catholic business leaders to take the idea seriously. "Acknowledging and respecting what is uniquely characteristic of the human person is essential to the discussion of any adequate ethical framework for the governance of AI," Leo said in the message. Leo has made ethical AI a priority of his papacy, mentioning it just two days after he became pope in his inaugural address to the College of Cardinals. He is building on the legacy of Pope Francis, who during his time as pontiff established the conference on AI held at the Vatican this week. Leo is also following in the footsteps of his namesake Leo XIII, who advocated for better working conditions during a period of rapid industrialization in the late 19th century and early 20th century. "He took the name because he wants to be somebody who is commenting on the way in which technology, both AI and other things, are changing society, and wanting the church to be a voice advocating for humanity and for the human good in those circumstances," Rober told Fortune. While Leo advocates for ethical AI -- and could be preparing to write a future "encyclical" (or formal letter to all Catholic bishops) on the subject, according to Rober -- the debate on how much to regulate AI rages on worldwide. In the U.S., the absence of federal AI regulation has opened the door to state laws concerning AI, including on intellectual property rights and AI transparency. Still, the Trump administration's budget bill passed by the House of Representatives in May includes a 10-year moratorium on the enforcement of state and local AI regulation, which threatens the patchwork of laws passed up to now.

Calling AI a threat to 'human dignity, justice and labor,' Pope Leo XIV of all people takes on Big Tech

As a tech journalist, I'm far from heartened by the AI feeding frenzy we're seeing. Besides the Trump administration rolling back Biden-era guardrails and handing OpenAI a frankly eye-watering amount of money via various contracts, the UK government attempted five times to pass a bill (which has since passed) that allows AI developers to largely scrape whatever copyrighted material they like. With patrons of the arts like this, who needs enemies? So, imagine my surprise when none other than the pope actually wants to approach AI with some amount of caution. Pope Leo XIV spoke declaratively about the field of artificial intelligence while addressing the College of Cardinals recently, saying, "Today, the church offers its trove of social teaching to respond to another industrial revolution and to innovations in the field of artificial intelligence that pose challenges to human dignity, justice and labor" (via The Wall Street Journal). Framing AI as any kind of threat to humanity is declarative to say the least, so how did we get here? When he began his papacy earlier this year, the new pope took his namesake from Leo XIII. This predecessor served as pope from 1878 until 1903, and is remembered in part for his outspoken support of workers' rights during the Second Industrial Revolution. With this context in mind, it's perhaps no surprise that Pope Leo XIV specifically uses the phrase "industrial revolution" to refer to the rapidly growing field of AI. Between Duolingo replacing contractors with AI and enough time passing for Klarna to have some regrets about its own AI-first approach, it's not hard to see why Leo XIV would focus on this as a labour issue. What's perhaps more surprising is that this mission statement arrives after many years of Silicon Valley attempting to get the papacy on side. For just a few examples, Pope Francis met with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg (back when the company was still called Facebook) and granted private audiences to both Apple CEO Tim Cook and Elon Musk. To be clear, though, predecessor Pope Francis was not exactly a fan of AI either, and Leo XIV has framed his stance against AI as carrying on that legacy. Indeed, the Vatican will imminently host personnel from Meta, Google, Anthropic, Palantir and more big tech heavy hitters for the second annual Rome conference on AI, Ethics and Corporate Governance. Though Leo XIV has yet to grant any private audiences with tech company CEOs, he's expected to give a written address at this event. Whether that's an offer of guidance or something more firm-handed remains to be seen. Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, who knew the pope back when he was Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost and beyond, told The Wall Street Journal, "Leo XIV wants the worlds of science and politics to immediately tackle this problem without allowing scientific progress to advance with arrogance, harming those who have to submit to its power." Versaldi also adds, "These tools shouldn't be demonized, but they need to be regulated. The question is, who will regulate them? It's not credible for them to be regulated by their makers. There needs to be a superior authority." While I'm no form of Catholic -- lapsed or otherwise -- caution from such influential community leaders is downright refreshing to hear. As political policy pertaining to AI feels increasingly focused on short-term financial gains rather than the human or environmental impact of the technology, I find myself on a similar page to both Pope Leo XIV and Cardinal Versaldi. Though there are vanishingly few times an atheist will find herself sharing common ideological ground with the leader of the Catholic Church, just how hardline the pontificate will ultimately go, and whether those words will find purchase upon other influential ears, remains to be seen.

Pope Leo XIV flags AI impact on kids' intellectual and spiritual development

ROME (AP) -- Pope Leo XIV warned Friday that artificial intelligence could negatively impact the intellectual, neurological and spiritual development of young people as he pressed one of the priorities of his young pontificate. History's first American pope sent a message to a conference of AI and ethics, part of which was taking place in the Vatican in a sign of the Holy See's concern for the new technologies and what they mean for humanity. In the message, Leo said any further development of AI must be evaluated according to the "superior ethical criterion" of the need to safeguard the dignity of each human being while respecting the diversity of the world's population. He warned specifically that new generations are most at risk given they have never had such quick access to information. "All of us, I am sure, are concerned for children and young people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development," he said in the message. "Society's well-being depends upon their being given the ability to develop their God-given gifts and capabilities," and not allow them to confuse mere access to data with intelligence. "In the end, authentic wisdom has more to do with recognizing the true meaning of life, than with the availability of data," he said. Leo, who was elected in May after the death of Pope Francis, has identified AI as one of the most critical matters facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labor. He has explained his concern for AI by invoking his namesake, Pope Leo XIII. That Leo was pope during the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and made the plight of workers, and the need to guarantee their rights and dignity, a key priority. Toward the end of his pontificate, Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it. Francis said politicians must take the lead in making sure AI remains human-centric, so that decisions about when to use weapons or even less-lethal tools always remain made by humans and not machines. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope Leo XIV flags AI impact on kids' intellectual and spiritual development

ROME -- ROME (AP) -- Pope Leo XIV warned Friday that artificial intelligence could negatively impact the intellectual, neurological and spiritual development of young people as he pressed one of the priorities of his young pontificate. History's first American pope sent a message to a conference of AI and ethics, part of which was taking place in the Vatican in a sign of the Holy See's concern for the new technologies and what they mean for humanity. In the message, Leo said any further development of AI must be evaluated according to the "superior ethical criterion" of the need to safeguard the dignity of each human being while respecting the diversity of the world's population. He warned specifically that new generations are most at risk given they have never had such quick access to information. "All of us, I am sure, are concerned for children and young people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development," he said in the message. "Society's well-being depends upon their being given the ability to develop their God-given gifts and capabilities," and not allow them to confuse mere access to data with intelligence. "In the end, authentic wisdom has more to do with recognizing the true meaning of life, than with the availability of data," he said. Leo, who was elected in May after the death of Pope Francis, has identified AI as one of the most critical matters facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labor. He has explained his concern for AI by invoking his namesake, Pope Leo XIII. That Leo was pope during the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and made the plight of workers, and the need to guarantee their rights and dignity, a key priority. Toward the end of his pontificate, Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it. Francis said politicians must take the lead in making sure AI remains human-centric, so that decisions about when to use weapons or even less-lethal tools always remain made by humans and not machines. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope Leo 'concerned' about AI's impact on children

Pope Leo XIV sounded the alarm this week over artificial intelligence (AI)'s potential impact on young people's intellectual and neurological development, building upon one of the main focuses of his papacy. The first American pope delivered the message to an annual conference on AI and ethics, part of which took place in the Vatican this week. "All of us, I am sure, are concerned for children and young people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development," the pope said. "Our youth must be helped, and not hindered, in their journey towards maturity and true responsibility." The pontiff described how new generations have unprecedented, quick access to data and information, while noting they must not confuse this access to data with intelligence. "In the end, authentic wisdom has more to do with recognizing the true meaning of life, than with the availability of data," Leo said. Leo acknowledged AI has been used in positive ways, pointing to research in healthcare and science. But he warned of the possibility the emerging technology can be used for "selfish gain at the expense of others" or "to foment conflict and aggression." The pope said AI, especially generative AI, "also raises troubling questions of its possible repercussions on humanity's openness to truth and beauty, on our distinctive ability to grasp and process reality." In order to weigh the benefits and risks, Leo said further AI development needs to be evaluated with a "superior ethical criterion" he described as the need to safeguard the dignity of every human and respecting the culture and diversity of the global population. He added that any ethical framework for AI government must recognize the unique characteristics of the human person in contrast to technology. Since being elected pope in early May, Leo has made the risks of AI on humanity a key priority of his papacy. In his first official address to cardinals in May, the pope warned of the challenges AI poses to the "defense of human dignity, justice and labor." The mission resembles that of his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, who pushed for workers' rights amid the industrial revolution, and a Vatican spokesperson told media outlets the name choice was "not a casual reference." Leo pointed to past comments made by his predecessor Pope Francis, who repeatedly highlighted the risks associated with AI during his papacy. Earlier this year, the Vatican under Francis's direction released an outline of the ethical guidelines for the use of AI, which warned the technology could "undermine the foundations of society." Francis in this outline urged humans to be more responsible about the tech and careful about its impact on various sectors going forward. And last year, Francis issued a similar warning during the first-ever address by a pontiff to the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries. It comes as leaders in the U.S. push for less regulation of AI development to usher more innovation and maintain the country's competitiveness in the space. In an address to the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in February, Vice President Vance slammed "excessive regulation" of AI as several of the U.S.'s allies in Europe seek to establish stricter guardrails.

Pope Leo Warns Politicians of the Challenges Posed by AI

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo warned politicians on Saturday of the challenges posed by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), addressing its potential impact on younger people as a prime concern. Speaking at an event attended by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and parliamentary delegations from 68 countries, Leo revisited a topic that he has raised on a number of occasions during the first few weeks of his papacy. "In particular, it must not be forgotten that artificial intelligence functions as a tool for the good of human beings, not to diminish them or even to replace them," Leo said at an event held as part of the Roman Catholic Jubilee or Holy Year. AI proponents say it will speed up scientific and technological progress and help people to carry out routine tasks, granting them more time to pursue higher-value and creative work. The U.S.-born pontiff said attention was needed to protect "healthy, fair and sound lifestyles, especially for the good of younger generations." He noted that AI's "static memory" was in no way comparable to the "creative, dynamic" power of human memory. "Our personal life has greater value than any algorithm, and social relationships require spaces for development that far transcend the limited patterns that any soulless machine can pre-package," he said. Leo, who became pope in May, has spoken previously of the threat posed by AI to jobs and has called on journalists to use it responsibly. (Writing by Keith WeirEditing by Tomasz Janowski)

Pope Leo XIV flags AI impact on kids' intellectual and spiritual development

Leo said any further development of AI must be evaluated according to the "superior ethical criterion" of the need to safeguard the dignity of each human being while respecting the diversity of the world's population.Pope Leo XIV warned Friday that artificial intelligence could negatively impact the intellectual, neurological and spiritual development of young people as he pressed one of the priorities of his young pontificate. History's first American pope sent a message to a conference of AI and ethics, part of which was taking place in the Vatican in a sign of the Holy See's concern for the new technologies and what they mean for humanity. In the message, Leo said any further development of AI must be evaluated according to the "superior ethical criterion" of the need to safeguard the dignity of each human being while respecting the diversity of the world's population. He warned specifically that new generations are most at risk given they have never had such quick access to information. "All of us, I am sure, are concerned for children and young people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development," he said in the message. "Society's well-being depends upon their being given the ability to develop their God-given gifts and capabilities," and not allow them to confuse mere access to data with intelligence. "In the end, authentic wisdom has more to do with recognizing the true meaning of life, than with the availability of data," he said. Leo, who was elected in May after the death of Pope Francis, has identified AI as one of the most critical matters facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labor. He has explained his concern for AI by invoking his namesake, Pope Leo XIII. That Leo was pope during the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and made the plight of workers, and the need to guarantee their rights and dignity, a key priority. Toward the end of his pontificate, Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it. Francis said politicians must take the lead in making sure AI remains human-centric, so that decisions about when to use weapons or even less-lethal tools always remain made by humans and not machines.

Pope Leo warns politicians of the challenges posed by AI

Pope Leo, addressing global politicians, warned of AI's impact on young people, urging its use for human good, not replacement. Speaking during the Catholic Jubilee, he stressed the value of human creativity over AI's static memory and highlighted the importance of protecting meaningful lifestyles and relationships in an AI-driven world.Pope Leo warned politicians on Saturday of the challenges posed by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), addressing its potential impact on younger people as a prime concern. Speaking at an event attended by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and parliamentary delegations from 68 countries, Leo revisited a topic that he has raised on a number of occasions during the first few weeks of his papacy. "In particular, it must not be forgotten that artificial intelligence functions as a tool for the good of human beings, not to diminish them or even to replace them," Leo said at an event held as part of the Roman Catholic Jubilee or Holy Year. AI proponents say it will speed up scientific and technological progress and help people to carry out routine tasks, granting them more time to pursue higher-value and creative work. The U.S.-born pontiff said attention was needed to protect "healthy, fair and sound lifestyles, especially for the good of younger generations." He noted that AI's "static memory" was in no way comparable to the "creative, dynamic" power of human memory. "Our personal life has greater value than any algorithm, and social relationships require spaces for development that far transcend the limited patterns that any soulless machine can pre-package," he said. Leo, who became pope in May, has spoken previously of the threat posed by AI to jobs and has called on journalists to use it responsibly.

Pope Leo delivers grim warning about AI's threat to 'human dignity'

Pope Leo XIV has issued a stark warning about artificial intelligence, declaring it a threat to humanity that demands urgent global action including stringent regulations on Big Tech. "Today, the church offers its trove of social teaching to respond to another industrial revolution and to innovations in the field of artificial intelligence that pose challenges to human dignity, justice and labor," Leo told a roomful of cardinals in the Vatican in one of his first major addresses as pontiff. Leo's comments, which were delivered during his first formal audience with the College of Cardinals in the Synod Hall of the Vatican on May 10, were reported by the Wall Street Journal. The Vatican this week is hosting executives from firms including IBM, Cohere, Anthropic and Palantir for a major summit on AI ethics. Leo is expected to issue a written message but has not yet held private meetings with tech CEOs. Microsoft President Brad Smith is expected to meet Vatican officials later this month, and Google is in discussions for a future audience with the pope. By 2040, artificial intelligence is projected to automate or significantly transform 50% to 60% of jobs globally, with some estimates suggesting up to 80% could be impacted by 2050. McKinsey forecasts that 30% of US jobs could be automated by 2030, while Goldman Sachs estimates up to 300 million jobs worldwide -- about 25% of the global labor force -- may be affected. Labor-intensive roles like construction, maintenance, and skilled trades are expected to remain the most resilient. Just days into his papacy, the first American pope made clear that grappling with AI will be central to his agenda. In naming himself after Pope Leo XIII -- the 19th-century "Pope of the Workers" -- Leo XIV signaled a direct link between the upheavals of the industrial era and today's digital revolution. The 267th pope is positioning himself as a moral counterweight to tech companies that have spent years courting the Vatican. The Church under both Francis and now Leo has advocated for legally binding global regulations to rein in unchecked AI development. "Leo XIV wants the worlds of science and politics to immediately tackle this problem without allowing scientific progress to advance with arrogance, harming those who have to submit to its power," Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi told the Journal. The push for AI oversight continues the work of Pope Francis, who became increasingly vocal in his later years about the dangers of emerging technologies. Francis, who once joked he barely knew how to use a computer, gradually evolved into a leading voice on the topic -- warning of a "technological dictatorship" and calling AI "fascinating and terrifying." In 2020, the Vatican published the "Rome Call for AI Ethics," backed by Microsoft and IBM, among others. It urged developers to design AI systems that respect privacy, human rights and non-discrimination. But some tech giants, including Google and OpenAI, have so far declined to endorse it. Francis' involvement grew after the infamous AI-generated image of him in a white puffer jacket went viral in 2023, demonstrating the potential for AI to distort reality. He later cautioned world leaders that "choices by machines" must not replace human decision-making. Now, Pope Leo -- who holds a mathematics degree and a deeper familiarity with tech than his predecessor -- is expected to take the Church's advocacy a step further. Vatican officials and clergy see a moral imperative to act as a global conscience in the face of what they view as a potentially dehumanizing force. "These tools shouldn't be demonized, but they need to be regulated," said Cardinal Versaldi. "The question is, who will regulate them? It's not credible for them to be regulated by their makers. There needs to be a superior authority."

Pope Leo flags AI's impact on children's intellectual and spiritual development | BreakingNews.ie

Pope Leo XIV has warned that artificial intelligence could negatively impact the intellectual, neurological and spiritual development of young people as he pressed one of the priorities of his young pontificate. History's first American pope sent a message to a conference of AI and ethics, part of which was taking place in the Vatican in a sign of the Holy See's concern for the new technologies and what they mean for humanity. In the message, Leo said any further development of AI must be evaluated according to the "superior ethical criterion" of the need to safeguard the dignity of each human being, while respecting the diversity of the world's population. He warned specifically that new generations are most at risk, given they have never had such quick access to information. "All of us, I am sure, are concerned for children and young people and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development," he said in the message. "Society's wellbeing depends upon their being given the ability to develop their God-given gifts and capabilities" and not allow them to confuse mere access to data with intelligence. "In the end, authentic wisdom has more to do with recognising the true meaning of life, than with the availability of data," he said. Leo, who was elected in May after the death of Pope Francis, has identified AI as one of the most critical matters facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labour. He has explained his concern for AI by invoking his namesake, Pope Leo XIII. That Leo was pope during the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and made the plight of workers, and the need to guarantee their rights and dignity, a key priority. Towards the end of his pontificate, Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it. Francis said politicians must take the lead in making sure AI remains human-centric, so that decisions about when to use weapons or even less-lethal tools always remain made by humans and not machines.