Pope Leo XIV has warned that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence could make human relationships increasingly impersonal and encourage people to hand over important decisions to algorithms instead of relying on human conscience.
The Pope made the remarks during his weekly General Audience in St Peter’s Square on September 16, as he continued his catechesis on the Second Vatican Council’s pastoral constitution Gaudium et Spes.
Technology brings opportunities and risks
Pope Leo acknowledged that technological development, social media and artificial intelligence are opening new possibilities, breaking barriers and helping people overcome physical distances.
However, he cautioned that these advances also carry risks. Human relationships, he observed, are increasingly becoming “less personal” and more virtual.
The Pope particularly warned against becoming accustomed to allowing algorithms to make decisions that belong solely to human conscience.
His concern is not simply about the technology itself, but about how people choose to use it and the place they allow it to occupy in human life.
Human relationships must retain their depth
Pope Leo said the Christian community has an important role in ensuring that social relationships retain real substance and personal depth.
Reflecting on Gaudium et Spes, he stressed the importance of recognising humanity as one family, where people respect one another and work towards the common good.
The Pope’s comments come as AI becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life, from communication and education to professional decision-making.
In his May 2026 encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo had also stressed that moral judgement cannot simply be reduced to calculation because it involves conscience, personal responsibility and recognition of others as persons.
His latest message places that concern within a broader appeal: technology may help humanity connect, but it should not come at the cost of the personal relationships, responsibility and human dignity that hold communities together.