In his inaugural address to the College of Cardinals this month, Pope Leo XIV made it clear that artificial intelligence (AI) will be a central concern of his papacy. Identifying AI as one of humanity’s most pressing challenges, the newly elected pontiff warned that the rapid rise of intelligent machines raises serious ethical questions about labor, justice, and the future of human dignity.
The 88-year-old Argentine Jesuit, who chose the name Leo XIV in a nod to Pope Leo XIII’s response to the Industrial Revolution, signaled that the Catholic Church must once again confront the social upheaval caused by technological progress. “This revolution is not of steam and iron, but of code and cognition,” the Pope said, drawing a clear parallel between the 19th-century labor upheavals and today’s AI-driven transformations.
AI’s impact on work and the human person
At the heart of the Pope’s concerns is AI’s potential to displace workers and redefine the meaning of human labor. Echoing past papal warnings about the dehumanizing effects of unregulated capitalism, Pope Leo XIV said that technological advancements must serve the common good—not corporate interests.
“Progress must not come at the expense of the human person,” he said. “When machines take over work that gives people purpose, we must ask: What is left of our dignity?”
The pontiff emphasized that a just society must ensure workers are not treated as disposable and that economic systems must evolve to protect the vulnerable in the age of automation.
The call for ethical oversight
Pope Leo XIV also urged global leaders, scientists, and developers to create ethical frameworks to govern AI’s deployment. Without oversight, he warned, AI could deepen existing inequalities, undermine democratic processes, and erode truth through misinformation and manipulation.
This message builds on the work of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who had already raised red flags about the use of AI in warfare and surveillance. In his 2024 World Day of Peace message, Pope Francis said, “The goal of technological development should always be the service of peace and the protection of the most fragile among us.”
Pope Leo XIV’s continuity with this vision suggests a growing urgency in Rome to influence the global discourse on AI ethics. His comments resonate with broader concerns about how machine learning systems, left unchecked, might replicate or even worsen societal biases.
The Vatican’s role in the AI ethics debate
The Vatican has been steadily deepening its engagement with AI. In January 2025, it released a document titled Antica et nova, outlining ethical principles for AI in labor, healthcare, and education. The document warns against the dangers of algorithmic discrimination and unchecked surveillance, calling for “vigilant oversight” and transparency in how AI tools are developed and applied.
The Church has also lent its support to initiatives such as the “Rome Call for AI Ethics,” a multilateral effort that brings together tech companies, academics, and policymakers to create value-driven AI frameworks. These efforts aim to ensure that AI does not become a tool of oppression or exclusion.
A moral voice for a technological era
By making AI a defining issue of his papacy from the outset, Pope Leo XIV is positioning the Catholic Church as a moral voice in one of the most consequential debates of the 21st century. His choice of papal name serves not just as homage to the past, but as a signal of intent: to guide humanity through the social challenges of an AI age with the same conviction and clarity that Pope Leo XIII brought to the Industrial Age.
In a world where technology increasingly mediates every aspect of life, the Pope’s warning is clear: The ethical path forward must begin with a firm commitment to human dignity.
