Pope Leo urges AI to serve human dignity in Paris

Pope Leo XIV used speeches in Paris on September 25 to argue that artificial intelligence and other technologies must serve human dignity, warning that unchecked reliance on machines could erode human relationships and moral judgment. He called for education in ethical discernment but did not announce specific new rules or commitments at the events described in the reports. At UNESCO headquarters, Leo said technological advances should remain at the service of people rather than become instruments of domination and injustice. He cautioned that society may recognize intelligence in computer systems while judging human worth by efficiency and productivity. He also said AI systems can correlate data but cannot answer questions about life’s meaning, which he described as rooted in lived experience. The pope warned that faster communication does not necessarily make information more truthful or turn it into wisdom. He said AI can amplify false information and that science pursued without ethics risks ceasing to serve human dignity. These were warnings about potential harms, not evidence that the harms had occurred.