Pope Leo XIV cites AI in his first address, signalling a modern papacy

In his inaugural address to the College of Cardinals, Pope Leo XIV laid out the philosophical vision guiding his papacy and offered a surprising explanation for his chosen name: artificial intelligence.

Referencing his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, who famously tackled the challenges of the first industrial revolution, the new pontiff said his mission is to address today’s equally transformative forces, namely, the social upheaval brought on by rapid developments in AI.

“I chose to take the name Leo XIV,” the pope said, “because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.”

The Vatican released the remarks in an official English translation, which was also shared by the Catholic News Service.

While the church has been steadily increasing its engagement with the ethical dimensions of AI, Pope Leo XIV’s remarks suggest that artificial intelligence will occupy a central place in his tenure. Earlier this year, the Vatican released a document exploring the implications of AI on truth, ethics, and the spread of misinformation, echoing a warning from Pope Francis about the risk of AI-generated false narratives.

Pope Francis had previously urged caution over AI’s capacity to manipulate public opinion and erode the boundaries between fact and fiction. But in positioning AI at the core of his papal identity, Pope Leo XIV appears to be signalling a new era: one where the church seeks not only to warn about technological shifts but actively shape their ethical frameworks.

The Catholic Church, historically a force navigating the balance between tradition and modernity, now seems poised to weigh in more heavily on the evolving intersection of technology, justice, and faith.