Pope Leo XIV has urged Catholic priests to resist the “temptation” of using artificial intelligence to write sermons, warning that it risks weakening the act of sharing faith. The 70-year-old pontiff made the remarks during a closed-door meeting with the Diocese of Rome on 19 February.
“A homily is to share faith,” the pope told the clergy, arguing that AI “will never be able to share faith”. He likened the brain to a muscle that needs exercise, saying: “If we do not use them, if we do not move them, they die. The brain needs to be used, so our intelligence must also be exercised a little.”
The pope also cautioned against chasing “likes” and “followers” on social media platforms such as TikTok, describing it as an “illusion on the internet”. He urged priests to be mindful of the distraction.
Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born head of the Catholic Church, chose his papal name in reference to Pope Leo XIII, who addressed the social question during the first industrial revolution. The current pope sees parallels with today’s advancements in AI, which he says pose new challenges for human dignity, justice and labour.
