Amid doomsaying on AI, Leo XIV looks before – and beyond – regulation

Pope Leo XIV warned against the potential for technology to overshadow humanity during his weekly General Audience on Wednesday. While speaking on the Vatican II document Gaudium et spes, which addresses the Church in the modern world, the pope addressed the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

His comments come amid public debate regarding the risks of AI, including warnings from some developers about the technology's capacity to harm humanity. While many global leaders agree that AI requires regulation, there is currently little consensus on what specific aspects of the technology should be controlled or how to manage systems that possess vast information-gathering and organizing capabilities.