Pope Leo XIV, in his first major address since becoming head of the Catholic Church, described artificial intelligence (AI) as one of the most pressing issues facing humanity. During his first formal audience with the cardinals, he stressed the Church’s responsibility to respond to modern challenges while staying rooted in its teachings. Speaking from the Vatican on Saturday, the new pope said AI raises new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour. He drew a historical parallel between today’s digital revolution and the industrial revolution of the 19th century. Referring to Pope Leo XIII—his namesake—Pope Leo XIV explained his choice of name. Leo XIII led the Church from 1878 to 1903 and is remembered for shaping modern Catholic social thought. His 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed workers’ rights and offered a middle ground between unregulated capitalism and socialist policies. “In our own day, the Church offers everyone the treasury of its 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,” Leo said. The new pope’s concern about AI reflects a position held by his predecessor, Pope Francis. In the final year of his papacy, Francis warned about the dehumanising effects of AI and pushed for an international treaty to regulate its use. He told world leaders that humans—not machines—must always retain control over decisions involving force or social consequences. Francis also used his 2024 peace message to caution against the unchecked development of AI, saying such technology must be grounded in compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness.