Pope Leo XIV has warned against allowing artificial intelligence to undermine human dignity, urging people not to “lose our humanity amid a paradise of machines” as he began a four-day visit to France.
The pontiff delivered the warning on Friday during an address to French authorities, civil society representatives and diplomats at the Élysée Palace in Paris, following a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron. The remarks placed artificial intelligence and technological progress among the wider questions about humanity and society that Pope Leo is expected to address during his visit. The Vatican has repeatedly highlighted the pope’s concern about the impact of AI on human dignity, misinformation and social cohesion.
His four-day apostolic journey, running from September 25 to 28, takes him to Paris, Lourdes and Metz, with a visit to UNESCO also scheduled. The Vatican’s official programme confirms meetings with French officials, young people, religious leaders and civil society groups.
Upcoming Visits
One of the biggest events of the visit will be an outdoor Mass at the Place de la Concorde and along the Champs-Élysées on Saturday. French authorities expect about 600,000 people to attend. A large security operation has been put in place because of the expected crowds.
The pope is also scheduled to visit Notre-Dame Cathedral, where he will celebrate solemn Vespers with French bishops, priests, deacons, religious figures and seminarians. He will later attend a prayer vigil with young people at the Stade de France.
Pope Leo will then travel to Lourdes, where he is scheduled to celebrate Mass on Sunday and meet people affected by illness and disability. He is also expected to meet privately with survivors of sexual abuse by members of the Catholic clergy.
The visit comes as the Catholic Church in France faces debates over assisted dying, secularisation and its handling of clerical sexual abuse. The Church has also pointed to a recent increase in adult baptisms as a sign of renewed interest in religious life. Vatican officials said the trip would address faith, culture, Europe, peace and the relationship between humanity, science and technological progress.
