Pope Leo XIV Warns AI Is a New Tower of Babel at Vatican Conference
Pope Leo XIV addressed an artificial intelligence conference at the Vatican in late May 2026, warning that AI risks becoming a modern Tower of Babel. He called on developers and governments to keep human dignity at the center of AI design. The remarks came weeks after he released his first encyclical addressing AI ethics.
Pope Leo XIV told attendees at a Vatican AI conference in late May 2026 that artificial intelligence risks repeating the error of the Tower of Babel, where human ambition outpaced wisdom.
The pope said AI systems that operate without moral grounding could fragment rather than unite humanity. He urged developers, governments, and faith communities to work together to ensure technology serves human dignity rather than undermining it.
"We must contemplate Christ to understand human nature," the pope said, according to Vatican News. "Technology that ignores this risks becoming a tool of division."
The remarks built on his first encyclical, released earlier in 2026, which addressed the ethical implications of AI and called for international regulation of autonomous weapons systems.
Christianity Today noted that the pope's warnings resonated with many evangelical leaders who have raised similar concerns. Barna Group data from 2026 shows that a majority of pastors and practicing Christians worry that AI could replace or diminish the role of God in daily life, even as many continue to use AI tools themselves.
The Vatican has been active in AI ethics discussions for several years, releasing the Rome Call for AI Ethics in 2020 and engaging with tech companies on responsible development. Pope Leo's conference remarks signal that the Catholic Church intends to remain a vocal voice in those conversations.
