(The Hill) — Pope Leo XIV sounded the alarm this week over artificial intelligence (AI)’s potential impact on young people’s intellectual and neurological development, building upon one of the main focuses of his papacy.
The first American pope delivered the message to an annual conference on AI and ethics, part of which took place in the Vatican this week.
“All of us, I am sure, are concerned for children and young people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development,” the pope said. “Our youth must be helped, and not hindered, in their journey towards maturity and true responsibility.”
The pontiff described how new generations have unprecedented, quick access to data and information, while noting they must not confuse this access to data with intelligence.
“In the end, authentic wisdom has more to do with recognizing the true meaning of life, than with the availability of data,” Leo said.
Leo acknowledged AI has been used in positive ways, pointing to research in health care and science. But he warned of the possibility the emerging technology can be used for “selfish gain at the expense of others” or “to foment conflict and aggression.”
The pope said AI, especially generative AI, “also raises troubling questions of its possible repercussions on humanity’s openness to truth and beauty, on our distinctive ability to grasp and process reality.”
In order to weigh the benefits and risks, Leo said further AI development needs to be evaluated with a “superior ethical criterion” he described as the need to safeguard the dignity of every human and respect the culture and diversity of the global population.
He added that any ethical framework for AI government must recognize the unique characteristics of the human person in contrast to technology.
Since being elected pope in early May, Leo has made the risks of AI on humanity a key priority of his papacy. In his first official address to cardinals in May, the pope warned of the challenges AI poses to the “defense of human dignity, justice and labor.”
The mission resembles that of Pope Leo XIII, who pushed for workers’ rights amid the industrial revolution, and a Vatican spokesperson told media outlets the name choice was “not a casual reference.”
Leo pointed to past comments made by his predecessor, Pope Francis, who repeatedly highlighted the risks associated with AI during his papacy.
Earlier this year, the Vatican under Francis’s direction released an outline of the ethical guidelines for the use of AI, which warned the technology could “undermine the foundations of society.”
Francis in this outline urged humans to be more responsible about the tech and careful about its impact on various sectors going forward. And last year, Francis issued a similar warning during the first-ever address by a pontiff to the leaders of the Group of Seven countries.
It comes as leaders in the U.S. push for less regulation of AI development to usher more innovation and maintain the country’s competitiveness in the space. In an address to the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in February, Vice President Vance slammed “excessive regulation” of AI as several of the U.S.’s allies in Europe seek to establish stricter guardrails.
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