rki.news | Sources: Anadolu
VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo on Friday urged political leaders to ensure artificial intelligence serves humanity and the common good rather than diminishing human dignity.
Addressing members of the International Catholic Legislators Network, the pope said rapid AI development was creating one of the defining moral questions of the modern age.
He stressed that technological progress should be guided by the question of not only what humanity can do, but what it ought to do.
Leo called on lawmakers to support innovation while ensuring legislation protects fundamental rights and freedoms. He highlighted the need to safeguard privacy, promote transparency, prevent exploitation and strengthen democratic institutions.
The pope also warned that AI could create new forms of technological dependence, particularly for poorer countries, potentially becoming a tool of ideological or economic colonialism.
He expressed concern about algorithms influencing who is visible or overlooked and digital platforms shaping public debate without accountability.
“The world does not need an artificial intelligence that diminishes humanity,” Leo said, stressing that AI should become a servant of the common good rather than a rival to humanity.