Pope Leo XIV has called on AI leaders to "cultivate moral discernment," urging them to design systems grounded in justice, solidarity and reverence for life. He repeated these themes in a post on X and a message to the Builders AI Forum 2025, arguing that AI work should extend beyond labs and investments and become a profoundly ecclesial effort. The pope’s appeal comes as tech firms and startups race to advance AI amid concerns about safety, jobs and the broader social impact. Since May, he has repeatedly warned that AI raises new challenges to human dignity, justice and labor.
Pope Leo XIV Urges AI Leaders to 'Cultivate Moral Discernment' — Calls for Justice, Solidarity and Reverence for Life
Pope Leo XIV has called on AI leaders to "cultivate moral discernment," urging them to design systems grounded in justice, solidarity and reverence for life. He repeated these themes in a post on X and a message to the Builders AI Forum 2025, arguing that AI work should extend beyond labs and investments and become a profoundly ecclesial effort. The pope’s appeal comes as tech firms and startups race to advance AI amid concerns about safety, jobs and the broader social impact. Since May, he has repeatedly warned that AI raises new challenges to human dignity, justice and labor.
05:51, 09.11.2025Society
Pope Leo XIV calls on AI builders to place ethics at the center of innovation
Pope Leo XIV has urged leaders and developers in the artificial intelligence sector to "cultivate moral discernment" as an essential part of their work, asking them to design systems that embody justice, solidarity and a profound reverence for life.
"Technological innovation can be a form of participation in the divine act of creation. It carries an ethical and spiritual weight, for every design choice expresses a vision of humanity," the pope wrote on X.
The first pope from the United States reiterated these themes in a message to the Builders AI Forum 2025 and in his first address to the College of Cardinals in May, signaling that the Vatican sees AI as a major moral and social concern.
From research labs to the life of the Church
In his message to the Builders AI Forum 2025, Pope Leo XIV warned that AI development "cannot be confined to research labs or investment portfolios." He urged participants to treat their work as "a profoundly ecclesial endeavor," where technology serves evangelization and the integral development of every person — from Catholic education platforms and compassionate healthcare tools to creative media that convey Christian truth and beauty.
"The Church therefore calls all builders of #AI to cultivate moral discernment as a fundamental part of their work—to develop systems that reflect justice, solidarity, and a genuine reverence for life."
Context: a fast-moving industry with high stakes
Companies worldwide — from major firms such as Google, Microsoft and Meta to startups like Anthropic and OpenAI — are investing heavily to develop AI products. While the technology is already reshaping society, many observers worry that the rush to lead may compromise safety protocols, with potential consequences for jobs, economic stability and broader human well-being.
The Vatican's perspective
Since his election in May, Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly highlighted AI's implications for human dignity, justice and labor. Addressing the College of Cardinals earlier this year, he framed the Church’s social teaching as a resource for responding to this new technological "industrial revolution."
"In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice, and labor," he said.
By calling on AI builders to integrate ethical reflection into their designs, the pope is asking the tech industry to consider not just what AI can do, but what it should do to promote human flourishing.