Pope Leo welcomes increased dialogue on AI, but continues to share existential concerns | CBC News

AI's 'paradise of machines' a threat to humanity, Pope Leo says

Leo has previously called for strong AI regulation measures

Pope Leo XIV warned Friday that a "paradise of machines" risked undermining humanity as he opened a trip to France by posing fundamental questions about what it means to be human in the age of artificial intelligence, nuclear arms race and other threats to life itself.

Leo raised existential concerns about scientific progress, life and human rights during his opening speech to President Emmanuel Macron and diplomats at the Élysée Palace.

He invoked France's "deep Christian roots" and the recognition of human rights in warning about scientific progress and artificial intelligence.

"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 and the capacity to acknowledge the moral good," he said.

From the very start of his pontificate, Leo has identified artificial intelligence as one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. He dedicated his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (or Magnificent Humanity), to the topic, calling for robust regulation and for AI developers to work for the common good rather than profit.

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Leo also appealed to AI developers and political leaders responsible for regulating them to slow down, amid increasing calls around the world for guardrails to help prevent unintended consequences.

Speaking to reporters en route to Paris, Leo said he was pleased that his message was being heard and said he hoped the dialogue that the Vatican had initiated with tech companies would continue.

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"And I think from their perspective, many of them, they're very much open to looking for ways of making sure that AI does not displace or ultimately destroy humanity, but rather than be a tool for human beings," he said. "Good things are beginning at least."

In a speech to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences at the Vatican on Thursday, Leo acknowledged that AI brings benefits to humanity but also "new dangers to security and international peace." He urged global leaders to "govern wisely" in overseeing the technology.

Nuclear threat, right to life addressed

Leo, whose paternal ancestors were French, arrived in Paris at the start of four intense days in France, where the Catholic Church has lost ground on influencing ethical issues given the strict approach to secularism that is enshrined in France's constitution.

Church bells tolled across France when Leo's charter flight landed at Paris Orly Airport, and upward of a million people are expected to turn out to see him. The welcome has underscored the surprising level of interest in Leo's visit, the first official state visit by a pope in 18 years.

But Leo has been keen to emphasize Europe's Christian roots and try to push the church's message about the value and dignity of human life in a country where the right to abortion was enshrined in the constitution in 2024, and where lawmakers recently gave final approval to a bill allowing adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication.

The French Catholic hierarchy strongly opposed the measures, in keeping with Catholic teaching that human life must be protected and defended from conception until natural death.

In his speech to Macron and other government and diplomatic authorities, Leo called for France especially to remember that the right to life is the "indispensable foundation of every other human right."

Macron said Leo's visit brings "a source of hope" to many French people.

"France stands on the side of peace, effective multilateralism, respect for international law and the United Nations Charter … because every life has equal value, and all peoples must be defended," he said.

Leo urged ‌France "to remain a tireless champion of peace and multilateralism, particularly within our beloved Europe."

Leo's schedule later Friday included a service at the recently reopened Notre-Dame Cathedral.

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Given the wars plaguing Europe and the Middle East, Leo reaffirmed the Vatican's opposition to nuclear weapons and said the nuclear deterrence doctrine was "mistaken" since it was just fuelling a new arms race.

"Peace is not a balance of power; rather, it is built day by day through dialogue and justice," he said.

On the flight to France, Leo was asked by a CNN reporter about the Trump administration's attempt to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico news organizations from the White House. Leo said he welcomed media coverage and affirmed the need for it.

"I am very happy that here, you are all welcome," he said. Good media coverage is important, he said, and equally important "that we have it all the way around, for everyone."