Pope Leo XIV Warns AI Threatens Human Dignity in First Address to Cardinals

In a stirring first address to the College of Cardinals, Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, sounded a clarion call on Saturday, labeling artificial intelligence (AI) a profound challenge to human dignity. Speaking in the New Synod Hall, he urged the Catholic Church to confront this technological tide with moral resolve, drawing parallels to the 19th-century industrial revolution.

"Just as Pope Leo XIII tackled the social upheavals of his era with Rerum Novarum, today we must harness the Church’s social teachings to navigate this new industrial revolution driven by AI," he declared, linking his chosen name to his predecessor’s legacy of justice.

Formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Pope Leo XIV brings a global perspective, fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian. His election follows the passing of Pope Francis, whose digital outreach—through social media and the Rome Call for AI Ethics—set a foundation Leo vows to build upon. He stressed that AI, while transformative, must prioritize people over profit, reshaping labor and society without eroding human identity.

Reflecting on Pope Francis’ death, he called it a paschal event, a spiritual pivot filled with grace. He urged Catholics to seek God’s voice in quiet discernment, not the clamor of the digital age, quoting Scripture: "the whisper of a gentle breeze." His vision blends tradition with bold engagement, rooted in the Second Vatican Council’s call for dialogue and care for the marginalized.