In his first official remarks as pope, Leo XIV delivered a powerful message to the College of Cardinals on Saturday, warning that artificial intelligence (AI) presents serious new risks to human dignity. He called on the Catholic Church to step up and respond to these challenges with moral clarity and bold action.
Speaking at the New Synod Hall, the Pope said the Catholic Church has faced similar moments before.
He compared today’s rapid AI technological change to the upheaval of the 19th century industrial revolution, saying the Church must again defend workers and promote justice.
“Pope Leo XIII, with the historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum, addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution,” Pope Leo XIV said. “Today, the Church offers to all her treasure of social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and the developments of artificial intelligence.”
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Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, is the first American to be elected pope.
A former missionary and head of the Dicastery for Bishops, he speaks English, Spanish and Italian and was widely seen as a unifying choice after the death of Pope Francis. His decision to take the name “Leo” connects his mission with Pope Leo XIII’s focus on social justice.
Under Pope Francis, the Vatican greatly expanded its digital outreach. It restructured its media operations, launched popular social media efforts and introduced ethical guidelines for AI. The “Rome Call for AI Ethics” is a joint initiative between the Church and tech leaders promoting transparency in AI development.
Pope Leo XIV made clear that he would continue this work. In his speech, he described AI as a powerful force that could reshape labor, society and even how we see ourselves. He emphasized that people, not profit, must remain at the center.
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“These are Gospel principles through which the merciful face of the Father has been revealed and continues to be revealed in the Son made man,” he said. “Let us take up this precious legacy and continue on the journey, inspired by the same hope that is born of faith.”
He also urged Catholics to stay grounded in quiet prayer and discernment in a noisy digital world. He quoted Scripture to say that God is often heard not in thunder or spectacle, but in “the whisper of a gentle breeze” or “the sound of sheer silence.”
The Pope also reflected on the recent death of Pope Francis. He called the moment both sorrowful and filled with God’s grace. He described the transition to a new pope as a “paschal event,” a kind of spiritual turning point, and thanked his predecessor for his life of service.
“I would like us to renew together today our complete commitment to the path that the universal Church has now followed for decades in the wake of the Second Vatican Council,” he said. He also encouraged more listening, dialogue and care for the poor.
As Vatican Media reported, the Pope’s remarks “invoked a vision of a Church firmly rooted in tradition but willing to meet the future with courage,” particularly in its response to technologies that are reshaping human identity.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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