World Church · November 2, 2026
Pope Leo XIV Warns Against Delegating Life Decisions to Artificial Intelligence
Pope Leo XIV met with participants of a conference on artificial intelligence in Vatican City on October 30, 2026. The gathering, titled The Future of Artificial Intelligence: Dialogue between the Vatican and the Scientific Community on the Development and Application of Intelligent Technology, focused on the challenges posed by these technologies.
The conference was jointly organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life and the Future of Life Institute. Pope Leo XIV stated that both organizations recognize challenges arising where human dignity is threatened. He referenced a 2024 speech by Pope Francis to G7 leaders, which described artificial intelligence as a tool that is both exciting and frightening and emphasized that machines must never make decisions concerning human lives.
Drawing from his encyclical Great Humanity, Pope Leo XIV presented five points for reflection. He asserted that the future of artificial intelligence is not predetermined and depends on human decisions, meaning humans have the responsibility to guide, change, or refuse its application. He argued that machines are tools rather than people, lacking experience, physical bodies, feelings, relationships, and an understanding of love, labor, or responsibility. He cautioned against granting these systems rights or legal personality, as it could blur human responsibility and leave victims facing a faceless entity.
The Pope insisted that decisions affecting human life, freedom, and the use of force must always be subject to actual, informed, and responsible human oversight. He specifically mentioned the danger of reducing individuals to data points in border control databases or target lists. Consequently, he encouraged nations meeting in Geneva in November to take action to ban lethal autonomous weapons.
Additionally, Pope Leo XIV stated that intelligent technology should serve the public good rather than existing for its own sake or serving a privileged few. He called for the creation of institutions to implement ethical principles, including common standards, independent regulatory systems, and clear accountability mechanisms to verify decisions and provide remedies for harm.