In his first formal address as Pope Leo XIV, the newly appointed pontiff—Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago—spoke about the significant influence that artificial intelligence (AI) has had on both his thinking and the choice of his papal name. He revealed that AI was not just a tool in shaping his thought process but also instrumental in his decision to adopt the name Pope Leo XIV. Reflecting on this, he explained that AI helped him recognize the connection between the challenges of his papacy and those faced during the industrial era, as addressed by his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, in his landmark encyclical Rerum Novarum.
Pope Leo XIV’s choice of name was deliberate. He stated that his decision was influenced by Pope Leo XIII’s historic work, which focused on the social and moral issues arising during the First Industrial Revolution. In Rerum Novarum (1891), Pope Leo XIII advocated for workers’ rights, highlighting the importance of protecting human dignity amidst industrial growth. Pope Leo XIV drew a parallel between the social transformation of the 19th century and the current age, where the rise of AI presents a new set of challenges regarding human dignity, justice, and labor.
While acknowledging AI’s potential benefits, Pope Leo XIV was clear about its risks. He emphasized that AI poses significant ethical and moral dilemmas that the Catholic Church must address. Specifically, he referred to AI's capacity to create and spread misinformation, a concern Pope Francis had previously raised. Pope Leo XIV echoed this sentiment, recalling Pope Francis's caution about AI-generated false narratives and emphasizing the Church's responsibility to meet these challenges with conviction, similar to how Pope Leo XIII addressed the issues of industrialization.
The Vatican had also released a document in January, examining the moral considerations of AI, its implications for truth, and the need for ethical frameworks. Pope Leo XIV's papacy seems poised to build on these discussions, following in Pope Francis's footsteps by tackling AI issues with a focus on preserving human dignity and promoting justice. He highlighted that just as the Church responded to the moral and social challenges posed by the Industrial Revolution, it must now respond to the ethical dilemmas posed by AI.
In his speech to the College of Cardinals, Pope Leo XIV underscored that the Church must not only engage with the moral dilemmas of the digital age but also offer solutions grounded in its long tradition of social teaching. This approach, he stated, would guide the Church in addressing the new and evolving challenges posed by AI, similar to the approach taken during the era of industrialization.
Pope Leo XIV also referred to Pope Francis’s stance on AI, recalling that Francis had been vocal about the potential and dangers of AI, even becoming a victim of AI-driven deception in 2023 when a fake image of him spread online. Francis had warned of the risks of doctored visuals and called for international cooperation on “algor-ethics,” which would provide a moral framework for the use of AI technologies.
Pope Leo XIV’s papacy is therefore expected to carry forward the legacy of his predecessors, with a particular focus on navigating the moral and social complexities of AI. He expressed confidence that the Church, drawing inspiration from the teachings and actions of past popes, would continue its journey guided by faith, hope, and a commitment to human dignity in the face of technological advancements.
