Pope Leo urges AI development that reduces division and supports peace

Pope Leo has urged developers and policymakers to shape artificial intelligence systems in ways that reduce social division and support peace. Reuters reported that the message was delivered on September 21 to an “AI4Peace” conference at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. The pope’s intervention focused on the social consequences of advanced AI and the responsibility of institutions and developers to keep human dignity at the centre of technological decisions. His comments are consistent with earlier Vatican statements warning that automated systems can amplify misinformation, exclusion and conflict when they are deployed without adequate human responsibility. The remarks did not announce a new binding rule for technology companies, but they add to calls from religious, political and civil-society leaders for stronger ethical and regulatory safeguards around AI. Debate over those safeguards remains active across national governments and international institutions.