Pope Leo XIV warned that advances in artificial intelligence and other technologies must remain at the service of people rather than becoming instruments of domination and injustice. Speaking at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris as part of his four-day trip to France, the pontiff said AI risks impoverishing human "ideas and relationships" through a "process of dehumanisation," while also criticizing the growing emphasis on productivity in modern societies.
Delivering his speech in both French and English, he said judging people according to the "criterion of efficiency" risked undermining respect for human dignity and could lead to those who are no longer productive being rejected and discarded. It's a warning that resonates beyond the Church — as Europe debates how to regulate AI, the Pope's intervention places human dignity at the centre of a conversation too often dominated by corporate interests and national competitiveness.
Protecting Children in the Digital Age
The Pope said emerging technologies must offer adequate safeguards for children, warning that the "vulnerability" of young people must "never become an opportunity for exploitation." The call comes as European lawmakers struggle to enforce existing digital protections, with tech platforms repeatedly accused of failing to prevent harm to minors — from addictive algorithms to exploitative data practices.
His speech also addressed war and UNESCO's motto, saying that "since wars begin in the minds of women and men, it is in the minds of women and men that the defences of peace must be constructed." He said humanity has come to realize that scientific progress, when it's severed from wisdom, can turn into a weapon of destruction.
International Cooperation Under Strain
The Pope said international institutions are viewed "with mixed feelings," on the one hand acting as bodies that tackle challenges that "no single state can face alone," while also "undergoing a crisis of effectiveness, especially when dialogue is seen as an obstacle to action." He called for greater "trust," saying: "Trust that differences do not necessarily pose a threat. Trust that sincere dialogue can bring about a greater good than what each person could achieve alone."
The comments came as international cooperation faces growing political tensions. About 1 year and 2 months ago, the Trump administration announced its decision to withdraw from UNESCO, describing the organization as "woke," culturally divisive and "out-of-step" with the policies supported by Americans who voted the US President in. The decision is set to take effect in about 2 months.
A Day of Diplomacy and Faith
Earlier in the day, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the Pope to the Elysée Palace, alongside diplomatic authorities, firemen who intervened during the Notre-Dame-de-Paris fire and representatives from various religious authorities. During his address, the pontiff reaffirmed the importance of the human right to life, calling it "the indispensable foundation to every other human right." He also addressed the global situation by reaffirming the Vatican's staunch opposition to nuclear weapons, calling out the "mistaken belief" that nuclear deterrents provide solutions.
After his UNESCO speech, the pontiff traveled in his popemobile for a parade through Paris, before Vespers at the Notre-Dame-de-Paris cathedral and a major evening prayer vigil with young people at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
Why This Matters:
The Pope's intervention at UNESCO places moral pressure on European policymakers as they finalize the continent's AI regulatory framework. His warning that efficiency-driven societies risk discarding those who aren't productive speaks directly to debates over algorithmic hiring, benefits assessments, and healthcare rationing — all areas where AI is already being deployed with minimal oversight. The call for safeguards protecting children's vulnerability highlights a gap between Europe's stated digital protections and enforcement reality. And his defense of multilateral institutions comes at a moment when the EU itself must prove that cooperation delivers results — or risk losing public trust to nationalist alternatives. With the US set to withdraw from UNESCO in about 2 months, Europe faces a choice: lead on human-centric technology governance, or watch standards be set elsewhere.