Pope Leo Calls for AI That Does Not Foster Division

The Pope issued a message at an international AI conference in Rome urging the development of artificial intelligence that does not foster division and strengthens human bonds. He emphasized that AI must be guided by wisdom and charity to protect individual dignity and reinforce the family of humanity. Similar concerns are spreading among Anglican and Protestant churches. The Vatican newspaper noted that the Pope sees AI as a central issue from the start of his papacy and linked it to the social questions addressed by his predecessor Pope Leo XIII during the Industrial Revolution. A Vatican document published in January cautioned against reducing human intelligence to mere information processing and stressed that people live embodied, make moral judgments, and are not defined by ability or output. The document also stated that ultimate responsibility for AI decisions rests with humans. In 2020 the Vatican Academy on Life signed the Rome Declaration on AI Ethics with Microsoft and IBM, establishing six principles of transparency, inclusivity, accountability, fairness, trustworthiness, and privacy.

The declaration called for ethical development of AI that benefits all of humanity rather than only developers or corporations. In April 2024 the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby signed the declaration on behalf of the Church of England, arguing that AI progress must serve the common good, climate, and sustainable development. The World Council of Churches and several other ecumenical bodies have called for AI to address economic inequality and environmental impact, warning that benefits often accrue to wealthy nations and corporations while marginalized communities bear the costs. They have urged responsible sourcing of minerals and protection of workers in data centers. In June 2026 the WCC president expressed caution toward both uncritical praise and outright rejection of AI, urging the creation of rules for responsible use. Evangelical groups in the United States have also begun ethical examinations of AI, with the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission stating in 2019 that AI must not replace human judgment in matters of discrimination, labor, privacy, or warfare.

The commission has called for church support for those who lose jobs to AI and for human oversight of military applications. Church bodies have also issued guidance for the use of AI in preaching and administrative tasks, requiring human verification of generated content and accountability for its use. These initiatives reflect a shared concern across denominations that AI development must consider human dignity, relationality, and the welfare of the vulnerable rather than focusing solely on performance and efficiency.