Rizky Amelia
Pope Leo XIV has pushed back against the characterization of artificial intelligence safety concerns as exaggerated, telling journalists that the warnings voiced by AI experts deserve to be treated as credible and acted upon. Speaking during an in-flight news conference on Monday as he returned to Rome following a four-day visit to France, the pontiff said the risks raised by specialists in the field should not be dismissed outright.
The pope's remarks came in response to a question about what the United States and China, in particular, ought to be doing to keep artificial intelligence from developing into a catastrophic threat to humanity. His answer placed him in direct tension with US President Donald Trump, who has publicly described fears about AI systems going rogue as a "hoax."
Leo said he firmly believed the concerns expressed by many AI experts and specialists warranted serious attention. He rejected the suggestion that such warnings amounted to fabricated or exaggerated claims, noting that some observers had characterized them that way. The pope's language echoed the terminology of the modern misinformation debate, a striking rhetorical choice for the leader of the Catholic Church.
The pope's engagement with the AI question is not a recent development. He dedicated his first encyclical to artificial intelligence and the protection of humanity in its wake, an unusual focus for a papal teaching document. Throughout his 16-month papacy, he has repeatedly warned about the dangers associated with the technology, making it one of the signature themes of his tenure.
During the news conference, Leo also took aim at technology executives who argue that the industry should operate without regulatory constraints. He referenced having read that morning about the head of chipmaker Nvidia, who had announced that there could be a way to build guardrails into certain AI models. The pope acknowledged the statement but expressed doubt about the sincerity or consistency of the position.
Leo pointed out that the same executive who spoke of embedding safeguards has also argued that no limits should be placed on the technology and that government regulation should be avoided. The apparent contradiction drew a note of skepticism from the pontiff, who has consistently advocated for international governance of AI rather than industry self-policing.
The reference was to Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, who told CBS News earlier this month that he agreed with Trump's assessment that safety concerns surrounding AI have been overblown. Huang's position aligns with a deregulatory stance that has gained traction among some US technology leaders and political figures, even as AI capabilities advance rapidly.
The Vatican has intensified its public advocacy on AI governance in recent months, extending its reach beyond theological matters into fields such as nuclear technology, culture, and artistic creation. The Holy See has positioned itself as a moral voice in a debate otherwise dominated by governments, corporations, and research institutions with competing interests.
Leo identified AI as one of the most significant challenges facing humanity within days of his election, signaling that the issue would be central to his pontificate. In a notable move, he personally launched his own encyclical alongside Anthropic cofounder Christopher Olah at a Vatican event in May, an initiative that formed part of the Vatican's broader effort to engage Silicon Valley on the human costs of artificial intelligence.
Speaking on Monday, the pope called for sustained, inclusive dialogue on the subject. He said political leaders, AI industry figures, social organizations, and associations all needed to be invited to come together to examine what is already happening and to anticipate what could lie ahead, reflecting his view that the stakes require a broad coalition rather than isolated action.
Leo urged the global community to promote dialogue, study, and investigation in order to find ways of ensuring that AI never reaches a point where it could destroy humanity. His phrasing placed the ultimate risk of the technology in stark terms, framing the challenge as one of existential proportion rather than a matter of narrow technical adjustment.
The pontiff struck a cautiously hopeful tone about the level of engagement already underway. He said there are enough people seriously interested in addressing the dangers, but cautioned that the work must continue without pause. Complacency, in his view, is not an option.
"We can't just sit back and pretend nothing's going to happen," Leo said, summarizing his appeal for vigilance. The remark captured the urgency that has defined his approach to the technology and underscored his disagreement with those who downplay the risks.
The pope's intervention adds a prominent moral and spiritual dimension to a policy debate that has increasingly divided Washington and Silicon Valley, where calls for guardrails and government oversight compete with arguments for rapid, unimpeded development. By weighing in so directly, Leo has positioned the Vatican as a participant in that contest rather than a distant observer.
With both the United States and China racing to lead in AI development, the pope's call for international cooperation and guardrails may resonate with advocates who fear that geopolitical competition is outpacing efforts to manage the dangers of increasingly powerful systems.
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