Pope Leo XIV held his first press conference on Monday and started out by addressing one of the biggest subjects of our time: artificial intelligence (AI).
Speaking to members of the media, he urged them to use AI with “responsibility and discernment,” warning of its growing power and potential dangers.
What does the Pope think of AI?
The Pope’s message was that AI isn’t inherently bad, but it can’t be left unchecked.
“It can be used for the good of all,” he said, “so that it can benefit all of humanity.” But that depends on how we choose to handle it.
He reminded journalists and communicators that they, too, are part of the larger social fabric. “The Church must face the challenges posed by the times,” he said.
“In the same way, communication and journalism do not exist outside of time and history.” Quoting Saint Augustine, he added, “Let us live well, and the times will be good. We are the times.”
Interestingly, Pope Leo said that the rise of AI also influenced his choice of name. While addressing the College of Cardinals on Saturday, he explained why he chose “Leo XIV.”
“There are different reasons for this,” he said, “but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution.”
What are people saying online?
The Pope’s comments quickly made their way online, where people didn’t just take notice—they made connections.
On a post to Reddit’s r/Europe thread, many users said they were glad to see a religious leader taking AI seriously.
“While this world is cruel and a bit crazy right now, I do appreciate living in a time where popes are talking about artificial intelligence,” one person said.
“Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a human mind,” another joked.
From there, the Dune comparisons poured in. “Are we starting the path to 40k Warhammer or Dune and the Thinking Machines?” someone joked.
Still, others backed the Pope’s concerns with a warning of their own.
“All these Dune references are funny,” one user wrote, “but the man is totally right about the threat of AI. Just imagine what tyranny is possible with it. It can look at every message and every phone call. It can closely inspect video streams from every camera on the street. The authoritarian government will be greatly empowered by such a thing.”
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