Pope Leo XIV has been very vocal when it comes to sharing his opinions on how AI should work for the masses and not against the masses. In the past, he gave a statement that AI should not be replacing jobs and the sentiment should not be supported. And in a recent development, the Pope has again shared his views on how things should be around AI and the world. He took it to X and shared multiple posts suggesting that the world does not need AI that diminishes humanity, instead, the need of the hour is human intelligence.
He said, ‘The world does not need an artificial intelligence that diminishes humanity; rather, it needs human intelligence enlightened by wisdom, political authority guided by conscience and technological innovation directed by charity. Only then will artificial intelligence become not a rival to humanity but a servant of the common good.’
Pope Leo XIV further said, ‘Sound legislation should encourage scientific and technological creativity while safeguarding fundamental human rights and freedoms. It should protect users from exploitation, preserve personal privacy, ensure transparency in the use of emerging technologies and guarantee that they strengthen democratic institutions.’
The comments from the Pope highlight skyrocketing concerns surrounding the impact of AI on society. No doubt that AI has the potential to improve productivity and take technological progress to the next level, but still, the responsible use of AI should also be handled with utmost priority and the feeling to eradicate issues stemming from it like concerns around privacy, misinformation, and more.
Furthermore, the Pope’s POV has also garnered mixed reactions online and a chunk of the audience is criticizing him for focusing on artificial intelligence only while other humanitarian concerns remain unresolved. Amidst all this, the Pope has a clear focus that technological progress should be aimed at protecting human dignity and make sure that emerging technologies ultimately benefit society.
