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Combo pic: Pope Leo XIV and US President Donald Trump. (AFP photos)
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News18•29-09-2026, 03:32
Pope Leo Urges Action on AI Risks, Contradicts Trump's 'Hoax' Claims
  • •Pope Leo XIV urged world leaders and tech experts to take AI risks seriously, dismissing claims that warnings are "fake news."
  • •His comments directly contradicted US President Donald Trump's dismissal of AI concerns as a "hoax."
  • •Leo emphasized that while not in "panic mode," concerns raised by AI specialists deserve serious attention and global dialogue.
  • •The Pope has made AI a major focus of his papacy, dedicating his first encyclical, Magnificent Humanity, to the technology.
  • •A Vatican commission is actively working on research and dialogue to ensure AI does not reach a point where it could "destroy humanity."

Key Questions Answered

Pope Leo urged world leaders and technology experts to take AI risks seriously, explicitly stating that warnings about artificial intelligence going rogue should not be dismissed as fake news. This directly contradicted US President Donald Trump, who had previously dismissed concerns about AI going rogue as a hoax.

Pope Leo has made artificial intelligence a major focus of his papacy and dedicated his first encyclical, Magnificent Humanity, to exploring the technology and its overall impact on humanity. Furthermore, he released an appeal in May warning that AI systems can spread misinformation, prioritize conflict, and potentially lead the world toward unending war.

A Vatican commission is actively working on research and dialogue to ensure that artificial intelligence does not reach a point where it could destroy humanity or remove humanity from the conversation. Additionally, the Vatican has experienced a surge of interest from individuals wanting to contribute to this wider discussion following the publication of the pope's encyclical.