A new Vatican missive approved by Pope Francis has warned of the dangers of Artificial Intelligence (AI), while also stressing that, ultimately, it is human intelligence that will guide the morality of its use.
The result of a collaboration between the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Culture and Education, and drawing on a number of recent addresses by the pontiff, Antiqua et Nova: Note on the relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence exhorts “those entrusted with transmitting the faith” as well as “those who share the conviction that scientific and technological advances should be directed toward serving the human person and the common good” to remain aware of the distinction between human intelligence and AI.
Calling AI a “part of the collaboration of man and woman with God”, the missive quotes Pope Francis in warning that “the very use of the word ‘intelligence’ in connection to AI ‘can prove misleading'”.
“In light of this, AI should not be seen as an artificial form of human intelligence, but as a product of it,” the document states.
It then talks of the vast potential AI has for assisting human endeavours, but also warns of its potential for harm in the absence of moral guidance.
“As in all areas where humans are called to make decisions, the shadow of evil also looms here,” it said.
“The moral evaluation of this technology will need to take into account how it is directed and used.”
Pope Francis has been one of the most high-profile subjects of the use of AI to generate deepfake images, with images of him in a bomber jacket and resembling a rapper or locked in an embrace with US celebrity Madonna going viral and generating headlines around the world. This has left him uniquely suited to speak on the threat of fake news.
“AI-generated fake media can gradually undermine the foundations of society,” the statement reads.
“This issue requires careful regulation, as misinformation—especially through AI-controlled or influenced media—can spread unintentionally, fuelling political polarization and social unrest.”
It goes on to warn of the potential to sow confusion and misdirection in other areas, saying that “using AI to deceive in other contexts—such as education or in human relationships, including the sphere of sexuality—is also to be considered immoral and requires careful oversight”.
Unsurprisingly, it saves some of its strongest language for the use of AI in war, calling tools that utilise AI in “identifying and striking targets without direct human intervention” a “cause for grave ethical concern”.
It also references calls from Pope Francis for their use to be banned, saying that they pose an “existential risk” to humanity itself.
“This danger demands serious attention,” the document says, “reflecting the long-standing concern about technologies that grant war ‘an uncontrollable destructive power over great numbers of innocent civilians,’ without even sparing children.”
Pope Francis has spoken out strongly on the topic of AI in recent times, sending a statement to the 2025 World Economic Forum, held at Davos-Klosters last month, that was read out to delegates by Cardinal Peter Turkson, a Vatican official.
“This technology is designed to learn and make certain choices autonomously, adapting to new situations and providing answers not foreseen by its programmers, thus raising fundamental questions about ethical responsibility, human safety, and the broader implications of these developments for society,” his statement read.
Pope Francis said governments and businesses must exercise “due diligence and vigilance” in navigating the new technology’s complexities, as the world faced a “growing crisis of truth in the public forum” with AI’s output often being almost indistinguishable from that of humans.
“Unlike many other human inventions, AI is trained on the results of human creativity, which enables it to generate new artefacts with a skill level and speed that often rival or surpasses human capabilities, raising critical concerns about its impact on humanity’s role in the world,” the Pope said.
