Pope Leo XIV has identified artificial intelligence
one of the most crucial issues confronting humanity at present.
During his initial gathering with all the cardinals since being elected as pope
, Leo said AI poses challenges to defending “human dignity, justice and labour”.
He referred to his namesake Pope Leo XIII (1878 to 1903), remembered for laying the foundation for modern Catholic social thought.
In 1891, Pope Leo XIII penned an important encyclical titled “Rerum Novarum” (“Of Revolutionary Change”), addressing all Catholic faithful. This document examined the adverse impacts of the Industrial Revolution on worker livelihoods.
On Saturday Leo pointed out the similarity with AI, telling cardinals: “In our own day, the church offers everyone the treasury of its social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.”
Toward the end of his pontificate, Pope Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it.
“It has been evident in the examples set by numerous popes before me, and most recently by Pope Francis, who demonstrated total commitment to serving others and embraced a modest lifestyle. He placed unwavering trust in God throughout his pastoral work and maintained calm assurance as he returned home to the Father,” remarked Pope Leo to those present.
Let’s embrace this invaluable inheritance and carry forward our journey, motivated by the same hope that arises from belief.
Leo’s speech on the perils of AI came after US President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as the pope on his Truth Social platform less than a week after attending the funeral of
Pope Francis
, passed away at the age of 88 on Easter Monday.
The
White House
Then it was shared again on its official X account, where JD Vance dismissed the photo as a joke.
Former Italian prime minister
Matteo Renzi
wrote on X: “This picture upsets devotees, disparages organizations, and demonstrates that the head of international conservatism finds joy in acting like a buffoon.”
The previous year, an artificial intelligence-created picture of Pope Francis sporting a luxurious white down coat became widely circulated online, demonstrating the rapid dissemination of highly convincing deepfake images across the internet.
Pope Francis has highlighted serious, fundamental issues brought up by ethicists and human rights activists concerning the technology poised to revolutionize daily living. These advancements could potentially destabilize various aspects of society, including electoral processes and artistic expressions.
His biggest concern revolved around the application of artificial intelligence in the arms industry, where he argued that remote weapon systems have resulted in a “detachment from the horrific reality of war” and a reduced sense of the destruction these systems cause along with the weight of accountability for deploying them.
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