Pope Leo XIV has expressed concerns about the potential threats posed by artificial intelligence and global leadership during the opening of his historic visit to France, the first by a pontiff in 18 years. Speaking at the Élysée Palace in Paris on the first day of his three-day trip, Pope Leo emphasized the need to preserve human dignity in an era increasingly dominated by machines.
In his address to French President Emmanuel Macron and other officials, the 71-year-old pontiff warned against “losing our humanity in a paradise of machines invading and conditioning our daily lives.” He called for urgent education in ethical discernment to ensure that emerging technologies remain subordinate to human values rather than becoming instruments of domination and injustice. He cautioned that while computational systems might be labeled as forms of “intelligence,” they should not replace recognition of the inherent dignity of human beings, whose worth cannot be measured solely by productivity or efficiency.
The pope also criticized the actions of some global leaders, without naming individuals, accusing them of selectively respecting the rule of law when it suits their interests and treating justice as a commodity. He reiterated previous criticisms of global governance, describing the world as “ravaged by a handful of tyrants.” These remarks highlight his broader concerns about international relations, peace, and justice amid ongoing conflicts.
In line with his calls for peace, Pope Leo condemned the ongoing war in Ukraine and urged world leaders not to accept war as inevitable or resign themselves to violence. He urged France to continue its role as a “tireless champion of peace” and signaled that he would address European peace matters during a planned speech in Metz, in eastern France.
The visit also includes a large outdoor mass at Place de la Concorde and a private meeting with seven survivors of clerical sexual abuse at Lourdes, a major Christian pilgrimage site. Pope Leo’s engagement with abuse survivors comes amid sustained pressure on the Catholic Church in France after a 2021 report documented around 330,000 cases of abuse over seven decades and identified systemic cover-ups by church officials. The French bishops have since committed to compensation measures for victims.
President Macron described the pope’s visit as a “source of hope” amid these challenging times. The pontiff’s visit arrives at a politically sensitive moment in France, with the country preparing for a presidential election next year amid rising far-right and anti-immigration sentiment.
Alongside his remarks on AI, Pope Leo reaffirmed the Vatican’s opposition to nuclear weapons and rejected the doctrine of nuclear deterrence, calling it mistaken and a driver of renewed arms competition. He emphasized that peace should be built through dialogue and justice rather than military power balances, underscoring a consistent theme of his papacy in advocating for ethical governance and global stability.