Pope Leo XIV warns: AI must not endanger human dignity!

Pope Leo XIV warns: AI must not endanger human dignity!

On June 21, 2025, a significant meeting took place in the Vatican at which Pope Leo XIV acknowledged the UN Declaration of Human Rights as still relevant today. At a meeting with various politicians, the opportunity arose to once again highlight the explosiveness and importance of the text that was proclaimed on December 10, 1948. Leo

The Pope, who went down in history as the first pontiff from the USA, wants to continue the reforms of his predecessor Pope Francis. He focuses particularly on the margins of society, the “least and outcasts”, and sees the promotion of human dignity as his central task. His discussion of artificial intelligence (AI), which he describes as a major challenge for human dignity, justice and work, is particularly interesting. This is not surprising, considering that Pope Leo XIV draws a clear connection between the ethical aspects of AI and social justice. Tagesschau reports that he emphasizes that AI should never undermine human identity and dignity; Rather, their use must serve the well-being of people.

Artificial intelligence in focus

During the audience, Leo XIV made it clear that human memory is creative and dynamic - a contrast to the rigid nature of AI. These considerations are reminiscent of the skeptical voices, such as those of Meredith Whittaker, who has intensively dealt with the ethical dimensions of AI. Whittaker, who worked at Google for 13 years and organized numerous protests against discrimination and ethical problems in the field of AI, sees the current discussion about the technology not only as challenges, but also as marketing strategies of large tech companies. Amnesty highlights that Whittaker is pioneering research into the social impact of AI as the founder of the AI ​​Now Institute at New York University.

In his address, Leo XIV called not only for the protection of the weak and marginalized, but also for a fair distribution of resources to promote peace and harmony. This is in line with the historical development of the Catholic Church; The initial rejection of the Declaration of Human Rights was confirmed by the Council Declaration “Dignitatis Humanae” of 1965 and the encyclical “Pacem in Terris” by John XXIII. changed, which recognized the dignity of the person. In this context, Leo XIV also quoted St. Augustine and Cicero and referred to natural law as a universal reference point for political action.

With a majority of over two-thirds, Leo His public presentation in St. Peter's Square is awaited with great interest by tens of thousands of people.

The coming days are sure to be exciting as Leo XIV continues to bridge tradition and the challenges of the modern world. The importance of freedom, interreligious dialogue and the pursuit of social justice are at the forefront and remain an essential part of his vision for the Catholic Church.