Pope Leo issues biblical warning about the rise of AI

Pope Leo XIV has issued a warning about the rise of AI, comparing it to the biblical Tower of Babel.

The impact of the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in our daily lives has been a hot topic among many.

While some laud the developments in AI for making their lives easier, others are concerned about an increasing reliance on machines as well as the environmental impact that comes with it.

Now, Pope Leo XIV has shared his thoughts from a religious perspective, revealing his concerns.

In Magnifica Humanitas (Latin for “Magnificent Humanity”), as cited by PC Mag, Pope Leo XIV does not believe AI represents salvation or damnation for humanity, but said that it can be "a valuable tool that requires vigilance", as long as it does not present a challenge for human autonomy.

Could AI take over? Credit: Jonathan Kitchen/Getty Images

Comparing it to the Tower of Babel - a story from the Old Testament of buiding the Tower of Babel as an act of arrogance, rather than rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem as an act of cooperating, adding: "Therefore, the primary choice is not between a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to technology, but rather between constructing Babel or rebuilding Jerusalem; between a power that claims to dominate the heavens and a people who work together in the presence of God to rebuild the walls of fraternal coexistence."

The Pope also believes that AI will never reach the level of intelligence of a human, adding: "They may imitate language, behavior, and analytical skills, or even simulate empathy and understanding, but they do not understand what they produce, for they lack the affective, relational, and spiritual perspective through which human beings grow in wisdom."

While he doesn't believe AI will become sentient, Pope Leo did express concerns about how well they can mimic conversation, adding: "The artificial imitation of positive human communication - words of advice, empathy, friendship, and even love - can be engaging and at times genuinely helpful.

"However, for less discerning users, it can also be misleading, creating the illusion of a relationship with a real personal subject."

He also warned of the impact this type of tech could have on young users, adding: "In recent years, psychological and psychiatric literature has documented with growing insistence how early and unsupervised exposure to digital devices and social media can negatively impact sleep, attention span, control of emotions and relationships, especially during the most vulnerable stages of life, at times with tragic consequences."

Pope Leo shared his concerns. Credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Pope Leo also raised concerns about the environmental impact the increased use of AI is having on the planet, as well as the potential for some jobs that were previously undertaken by humans to be replaced by machines.

The Pope also strongly objected to the US of AI in automating military combat, as it "can only bring about conflict more quickly and render it more impersonal, lowering the threshold for resorting to violence, transforming defense into threat prediction and thus reducing victims to data."

Featured image credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images