Technology and Science28 September, 20262 min read
Pope Leo XIV Says He Is Not In Panic Mode About AI Risks
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Pope Leo XIV says he is not in panic mode about AI dangers; warnings are serious. He believes experts' warnings deserve attention and should be taken seriously.
6 outlets told this the same way.
Pope rejects panic
Pope Leo XIV told reporters that he is not in panic mode about the dangers of artificial intelligence, saying, "If someone asked me whether I’m in panic mode, I’d say no; I sleep soundly at night." Pope Leo XIV added that he does not think the warnings are misinformation, saying, "I don’t think this is misinformation, as some have claimed, in order to try to obtain… economic or other benefits," during his flight back to Rome from Metz (France) on September 28.
“If someone asked me whether I’m in panic mode, I’d say no; I sleep soundly at night.”
A former security researcher at the AI company Anthropic warned in early September that rapid AI advance could imply a greater than 10% probability that AI will "kill all human beings" within a decade. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urged the AI industry to slow the development pace of advanced models to address the risks, and other industry leaders publicly backed his call.
Not fake news
Pope Leo XIV said on his flight back to Rome after a four-day trip to France that concerns about AI could destroy the world are not "fake news" and should be taken seriously. Pope Leo XIV said, "I do think that the concerns raised by many of the experts, specialists in AI, should be taken seriously," in a press conference aboard the papal flight.
Pope Leo XIV also said, "I don't think that that is fake news, as some have said," while responding to US President Donald Trump, who told the UN General Assembly last week that he believed fears about AI were a "hoax." Pope Leo XIV said he read on Monday that Nvidia’s head had announced there could be a way to insert guardrails into certain AI models, but he expressed scepticism by adding, "He's the same one, however, that says there should be no limits placed and no government regulation."
Vatican commission and governance
Pope Leo XIV said the Vatican has created its own AI commission, and he described its tasks as coordinating the use that the Holy See makes of this technology and promoting dialogue, study, and research. Pope Leo XIV asserted, "We cannot simply stand by with our arms crossed and pretend nothing will happen," as he described the need to prevent AI from reaching a point where it would "destroy humanity."
Pope Leo XIV said he urged the world "to promote dialogue, study, investigation, to find ways to make sure that AI does not get to a point where it could destroy humanity," while also criticizing technology CEOs who argued there should be no guardrails. Pope Leo XIV said he called for continuing to "invite political leaders, AI leaders, social organizations and associations to meet and analyze what is already happening and what could happen in the future," as the Vatican commission’s work intersects with a debate that included Trump’s criticism and industry calls to slow development.