Pope Leo XIV Urges Ethical AI Development in Moral Test for Humanity

Pope Leo XIV has called on global tech leaders to build artificial intelligence systems that uphold human dignity, marking his first public message on AI since becoming head of the Catholic Church in May 2025. In a post on X, the Pope framed AI development as a critical test of humanity's moral direction, emphasizing that technological innovation carries ethical and spiritual weight.

"Technological innovation can be a form of participation in the divine act of creation. It carries an ethical and spiritual weight, for every design choice expresses a vision of humanity," the Pope stated. He urged AI builders to integrate moral discernment into their work, developing systems that reflect justice, solidarity, and a genuine reverence for life.

This message aligns with the Vatican's earlier teachings, including the Antiqua et Nova document from January 2025, which warned that AI lacks real thought, lived experience, and moral judgment. Without firm human oversight, the technology could worsen inequality, fuel misinformation, expand surveillance, and weaken essential human relationships.

Pope Leo's comments build on his predecessor Pope Francis's engagement with AI, particularly following the 2022 launch of ChatGPT. In his inaugural address, Leo referenced Pope Leo XIII's response to the Industrial Revolution, drawing parallels to AI's potential to reshape society. The Vatican reinforced this stance in July 2025 at the AI for Good Summit, advocating for ethically grounded and human-centered governance to protect dignity and global cooperation.

Globally, the Pope's remarks resonate amid rising AI ethics controversies and regulatory efforts, such as India's recent formation of an expert panel to develop AI policies, underscoring broader societal concerns over the technology's impact.