Pope Leo XIV Highlights Artificial Intelligence as Key Challenge for Church, Humanity

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, has emphasized artificial intelligence as a paramount challenge for humanity, framing it as a threat to human dignity, justice, and labor that the Church must address. Drawing inspiration from Pope Leo XIII, who guided the Church through the industrial revolution with his encyclical Rerum Novarum, Leo XIV seeks to similarly navigate the Church through the digital age. He has expressed a strong commitment to continuing the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and following the inclusive, people-focused legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, including attention to the vulnerable and marginalized. Leo XIV has reiterated the importance of making the Church more collegial and responsive to the faithful, particularly through popular piety. His vision for his papacy includes upholding social teachings that balance technological progress with ethical considerations and human rights. Through these commitments, Pope Leo XIV aims to guide the Catholic Church in addressing contemporary societal transformations with moral clarity and compassion.