Pope Leo XIV to Students: “Don’t Let AI Do Your Homework” — A Call for Wisdom, Responsibility and Critical Thinking

Pope Leo XIV spoke to students at the National Catholic Youth Conference on Nov. 21 via video link, warning them not to rely on AI to complete schoolwork and stressing that machines cannot replace human wisdom. He called for education, personal responsibility and critical thinking, urging young people to grow intellectually and spiritually. In a lighter moment, he joked about playing Wordle, and he previously praised AI researchers for protecting human dignity.

02:25 AM, 11/27/2025Technology

Pope Leo XIV to Students: “Don’t Let AI Do Your Homework” — A Call for Wisdom, Responsibility and Critical Thinking

On Nov. 21, Pope Leo XIV, 70, addressed young people at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis via video link, urging caution about the limits of artificial intelligence and encouraging students to cultivate judgment, creativity and spiritual growth.

Speaking directly to students, he warned against outsourcing learning to machines:

"AI can process information quickly, but it cannot replace human intelligence — and don’t ask it to do your homework for you. It cannot offer real wisdom. It misses a very important human element. AI will not judge between what is truly right and wrong, and it won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation."

The pope acknowledged AI's growing role in society, calling it "one of the defining features of our time," but stressed that technological safeguards are not enough. "Safety is not only about rules," he said. "It’s about education and personal responsibility. Filters and guidelines can help you, but they cannot make choices for you. Only you can do that."

He urged students to view their education years as a time to develop into mature adults — intellectually, morally and spiritually. He encouraged young people to think critically, to "examine reality, to search for truth, beauty and goodness," and to use AI in ways that support growth rather than diminish dignity or distract from a call to holiness.

Offering practical advice, the pope said: be prudent and wise so that if AI "disappeared tomorrow, you would still know how to think, how to create, how to act on your own, how to form authentic friendships." He closed by reminding students of their intrinsic worth: "Remember, AI cannot ever replace the unique gift that you are to the world."

The live session included a lighthearted Q&A moderated by speaker and radio host Katie Prejean McGrady. When asked if he uses a fixed opening word when he plays Wordle, the pope joked, "I only wear white socks and I use a different word for Wordle every day, so there's no set starting word," drawing warm laughter from the audience.

Earlier in November, he addressed participants at the Builders AI Forum 2025 at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, praising efforts to shape emerging technologies so they uphold "the dignity of the human person and the common good." The pope's remarks at both events highlighted a consistent theme: embrace innovation, but safeguard what makes us human.