Overview

• Addressing politicians and tech executives, including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and delegations from 68 countries, Pope Leo XIV emphasized that AI must serve humanity rather than replace it
• He contrasted artificial intelligence’s “static memory” with human creativity and dynamic memory, asserting that personal life holds greater value than any algorithm
• Highlighting risks to children and adolescents, the pontiff warned that unfettered access to data could impair intellectual, neurological and spiritual development without strong ethical safeguards
• Leo challenged attendees to undertake serious moral reflection on AI’s uses and championed international treaties and industry codes to uphold human dignity and respect cultural diversity
• Drawing on Pope Francis’s prior calls for AI regulation and invoking his namesake Pope Leo XIII’s social teaching, he positioned the church’s guidance as vital during today’s technological revolution