Pope Leo XIV warns of AI risks to human dignity and urges global regulations. Explore the Vatican’s push for ethical AI governance at TheInterviewTimes.com.
Vatican Sounds Alarm on AI’s Threat to Humanity, Calls for Global Ethical Framework
- AI Threatens Human Dignity: Pope Leo XIV warns AI risks reducing human relationships to algorithms, endangering justice and labor.
- Global Regulation Urged: Calls for a binding international treaty to ensure ethical, human-centric AI development.
- Vatican Leads Ethically: Builds on the 2020 Rome Call for AI Ethics, positioning the Church as a moral guide in AI governance.
In a series of powerful statements, Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, has declared artificial intelligence (AI) one of humanity’s greatest challenges, urging global leaders to establish international regulations to safeguard human dignity. Speaking at the Vatican, the Pope emphasized that unchecked AI risks transforming human relationships into mere algorithms, threatening justice, labor, and the essence of what it means to be human.
Pope Leo XIV’s Call to Action on AI
Since his election on May 8, 2025, Pope Leo XIV has made AI a cornerstone of his papacy. In his inaugural address to the College of Cardinals, he warned that AI poses “new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor,” drawing parallels to the societal upheaval of the Industrial Revolution. He echoed his predecessor, Pope Francis, who, before his death on April 21, 2025, advocated for a binding international treaty to ensure AI remains human-centric, particularly in critical decisions like weapon use.
On June 17, 2025, addressing Italian bishops, Pope Leo XIV cautioned that AI, alongside biotechnology and social media, risks “flattening” human dignity by replacing it with “functions, automatisms, simulations.” He urged the Church to respond with ethical clarity, stating, “Without a living reflection on the human, ethics is reduced to a code, and faith risks becoming disembodied.”
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Vatican’s Push for Global AI Regulation
The Vatican has long engaged with AI ethics, notably through the 2020 Rome Call for AI Ethics, signed by tech giants like IBM and Cisco, committing to accountable and socially beneficial AI development. Pope Leo XIV is building on this legacy, positioning the Catholic Church as a moral authority in the global AI debate. TechCrunch reports that the Vatican is advocating for a binding international treaty, a move that has sparked tension with tech CEOs who argue it could stifle innovation.
“AI is not just a technological upheaval; it’s a moral one,” Pope Leo XIV has stated, aligning with warnings from ethicists and tech leaders like Elon Musk, who likened reckless AI development to “summoning a digital God.” The Pope’s background in mathematics gives him a unique perspective, enabling him to navigate the complexities of AI’s societal impact.
Why This Matters
The Pope’s warnings come amid growing global concerns about AI’s rapid advancement. Experts highlight risks like job displacement, environmental costs from AI’s high energy consumption, and ethical dilemmas in education, where students use AI to cheat. Pope Leo XIV’s call for “responsibility and discernment” in AI use resonates with broader societal unease about outpaced regulatory frameworks.
As AI-generated deepfakes of the Pope himself flood platforms like YouTube and TikTok, racking up millions of views, the urgency of his message is clear. These incidents underscore the need for robust ethical guidelines to prevent misuse of powerful technologies.
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What’s Next?
Pope Leo XIV’s focus on AI signals a new era for Catholic social teaching, reminiscent of Pope Leo XIII’s response to the Industrial Revolution with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum. Posts on X suggest the Pope may soon publish an encyclical on AI, potentially positioning the Vatican as a leading voice in global AI safety discussions.
As the world grapples with AI’s transformative potential, Pope Leo XIV’s prophetic stance challenges leaders to prioritize human dignity over unchecked progress. Stay tuned to TheInterviewTimes.com for the latest updates on this developing story.