Pope Leo has been vocal about the risks associated with artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need for global regulations to oversee its development. In a speech at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris on September 29, Pope Leo continued his call for international oversight of AI, a stance he first articulated publicly during his third day as pope and later detailed in an encyclical released in May. Vatican advisor Rev. Paolo Benanti highlighted the potential societal changes posed by AI and stressed that the Holy See has been addressing these concerns since 2019, years before major tech firms raised similar alarms. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s top diplomat, echoed Leo's warnings, stating that the future of humanity is at stake without common rules governing AI technology.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Pope Leo XIV Warns of AI Threat During France Visit
On September 25, 2026, Pope Leo XIV warned during his visit to Paris that artificial intelligence (AI), which he referred to as a "paradise of machines," could undermine humanity by posing fundamental questions about what it means to be human. The pontiff raised these concerns in an opening speech to President Emmanuel Macron and diplomats at the Élysée Palace, followed by remarks to United Nations employees at UNESCO headquarters.
Pope Leo emphasized the need for ethical discernment as AI rapidly evolves: "If we are to avoid losing our humanity amid a paradise of machines invading and conditioning our daily lives, there is an urgent need for education in ethical discernment." The speech highlighted growing fears within religious circles about the unchecked advancement of technology and its potential impact on human values.
The pope also reaffirmed the Vatican's stance against nuclear weapons, calling the deterrence doctrine "mistaken" as it fuels new arms races. He stressed that peace must be built through dialogue and justice rather than power balances.
Pope Leo's visit comes amid debates over assisted dying and other ethical issues in France, where secularism is strictly enforced according to constitutional principles. Despite this, more than a million people are expected to turn out during his four-day stay, underscoring the significance of his message and presence.
Church bells tolled across Paris as Pope Leo's charter flight landed at Orly Airport, marking the start of what promises to be an impactful visit addressing critical global issues.
Written for “Pope Warns AI Threat” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 7 other(s) covering the same event.
VATICAN CITY, Sept 24 - The Vatican warned about the risk of an apocalypse spurred by artificial intelligence years before major American firms sounded the alarm at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday - a concern that Pope Leo is placing at the heart of his papacy.
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Leo → warn → papacy
Leo, who in May called on world leaders for global rules to oversee the industry, is expected to warn about AI again on Friday in a speech at the Paris headquarters of the UN's culture and education body, UNESCO.
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"This is not happening on day zero for the Holy See," Rev. Paolo Benanti, a leading Vatican advisor on AI issues, told Reuters, referring to recent calls for a slowdown that has been endorsed by the CEOs of AI firms Anthropic, OpenAI and xAI, among others.
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that → happen → others
"The transformative power of AI ... could produce a magnitude of societal changes that are very hard to predict," said Benanti, an Italian academic who recently took part in the AI summit hosted by Britain's King Charles.
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who → produce → Charles
The priest said he could not reveal details about the contents of the summit's confidential discussions.
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he → say → discussions
CARDINAL: THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY IS AT STAKE
Leo, the first US-born pope, has raised the possible dangers of AI development frequently throughout his 16-month-old papacy and first discussed the issue publicly on his third day in office.
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Leo → bear → office
In his May appeal, released as his first major document, Leo warned that AI systems spread misinformation, prioritise conflict and could lead the world down a path of unending war.
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systems → release → war
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's top diplomat, reiterated Leo's call for international regulation of the industry at an event in Rome last week, warning that countries cannot "go it alone" on the technology.
"The future of humanity is really at stake here," Parolin said.
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Parolin → reiterate → stake
The world, he said, needs "everyone's involvement in establishing some common rules that can genuinely govern this phenomenon."
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that → say → phenomenon
Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah spoke at the Vatican's launch event for the pope's May document, known as an encyclical.
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Olah → speak → encyclical
Asked if the Vatican is in ongoing dialogue with any AI firms, Benanti stressed the decentralized nature of the global church and said some discussions are being led by local bishops.
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discussions → ask → bishops
On September 16, the US bishops' conference said it had created a new AI taskforce after several of its leaders met with executives that day.
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several → say → executives
"The dialogue focused on ways to keep any system of artificial intelligence at the service of humanity and the urgent need to address the real and present dangers such technology presents," a statement said.
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statement → focus → dangers
LEO WARNS ABOUT AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS
The Vatican began warning about the risks of AI in 2019, hosting two conferences that year on the possible dangers of the technology.
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Vatican → warn → technology
The late Pope Francis warned attendees at one of the events that misinformation spread by AI could spark a world war.
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misinformation → warn → war
The Vatican also teamed with Microsoft, IBM, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization and the Italian government in 2020 to issue a call for AI development that "does not have as its sole goal greater profit or the gradual replacement of people in the workplace."
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that → team → workplace
Leo has urged oversight especially for the development of weapons systems, such as those being used in the Russia-Ukraine war.
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Leo → urge → war
He said in his encyclical that such weapons have advanced "practically beyond any human reach to govern them."
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weapons → say → them
The Vatican's advocacy on the global stage against autonomous weaponry goes back decades, Benanti said, likening AI-powered drones to landmines that are indiscriminate with their targets.
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that → go → targets
The priest compared the Vatican's warnings about the risks of AI to how popes have long called for nuclear disarmament.
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popes → compare → disarmament
"If nuclear weapons can destroy humanity ... the manipulation of generative AI content in social spaces can destroy the capabilities of people to stay together as a society," he said.
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he → destroy → society
"Nuclear weapons have to be stocked inside facilities and you can count and control them.
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The Aporia
