The newly elected pope has issued a chilling warning about AI and how it threatens the future of humanity.
Robert Prevost was announced as the new pope last Thursday (May 8) and will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
Since then, in his first meeting with the cardinals in his new role, Pope Leo XIV issued a warning to humanity about the dangers of artificial intelligence.
He shared that he believes AI to be one of the most critical issues currently facing humans, arguing that it could pose a challenge against defending ‘human dignity, justice and labor’.
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On Saturday (May 10), the new pope said: “In our own day, the church offers everyone the treasury of its 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 isn’t the first pope to voice his concerns about the advancements of AI as his predecessor, Pope Francis, had also shared his thoughts on the matter.
Pope Leo XIV went on to say: “It has been clearly seen in the example of so many of my predecessors, and most recently by Pope Francis himself, with his example of complete dedication to service and to sober simplicity of life, his abandonment to God throughout his ministry and his serene trust at the moment of his return to the Father’s house.
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“Let us take up this precious legacy and continue on the journey, inspired by the same hope that is born of faith.”
President Donald Trump faced backlash following the recent death of Pope Francis after he shared an AI generated image of himself as the pope on social media.
Originally posted on Trump’s own platform, Truth Social, the image was later shared on the official White House account on X, formerly Twitter.
This came just days after the US president joked that he would ‘like to be pope’.
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Trump has faced criticism for posting the image which some have said is ‘extremely disrespectful’.
The former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi shared his disapproval of the image, saying: “This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the rightwing world enjoys clowning around.”
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The New York State Catholic Conference also took to social media to share their thoughts on the matter, writing: “There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President.
“We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us.”