Madonna Faces Backlash Over AI-Generated Images Featuring Pope Francis

The singer's Instagram posts of AI-generated photos depicting intimate moments with Pope Francis have drawn criticism for being disrespectful and inappropriate.

Madonna, 66, posted AI-generated images on her Instagram Story showing Pope Francis, 87, in seemingly intimate poses with her, captioned with phrases like 'Feels Good to Be Seen.'
The images, created by AI artist Rick Dick and tagged by Madonna, have been criticized online as 'disrespectful,' 'creepy,' and 'weird,' though some fans defended the posts as humorous.
This incident adds to Madonna's long history of conflicts with the Catholic Church, including backlash over her 1989 'Like a Prayer' music video and the Vatican's boycott of her Blond Ambition tour.
The Vatican and Madonna have not issued statements addressing the controversy, though the artist has previously described her work as promoting freedom and inclusivity inspired by spiritual teachings.
The AI-generated images have reignited debates over ethics in digital art and the boundaries of creative expression, with mixed reactions from the public and her fan base.