Why the New Pope Is Taking on AI

The Journal.

The Wall Street Journal

Daily News, Business News, News

4.2 • 5.3K Ratings

🗓️ 25 June 2025

⏱️ 19 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The new head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, is making artificial intelligence a signature issue. Last week, the Vatican hosted tech leaders at a two-day international AI conference in Rome. WSJ’s Margherita Stancati reports on why Silicon Valley is watching to see if Leo will use the Church’s moral authority to push for stronger AI rules. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Financial Mess Facing the Vatican - Pope Francis Has Died. What’s Next for the Catholic Church? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	When it comes to artificial intelligence and the moral and ethical issues it poses,
0:10.0	philosophers, engineers, tech executives, podcasters, substack writers, everyone seems to have an opinion.
0:17.0	What are the biggest ethical challenges when it comes to artificial intelligence?
0:22.6	AI is coming for your job.
0:24.6	AI models can contribute to climate change.
0:26.6	Modern AI is us building God.
0:28.6	Mark my words, AI is far more dangerous than nukes.
0:32.6	I think if this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong.
0:35.6	Is generative AI potentially an existential threat to the human species?
0:40.3	I think that's what I've been saying, yes.
0:42.3	Among those concerned about AI and its impact on humanity
0:46.3	is the new Pope, Leo the 14th.
0:50.3	He's only been in office for less than two months,
0:53.3	but he's already made AI one of his top issues.
0:56.5	Two days into his reign, he gave a speech to Cardinals when he essentially kind of outlined what the priorities of his papacy would be.
1:05.7	Our colleague Margarita Stancari is the Wall Street Journal's correspondent in Rome.
1:09.7	And that is when he first mentioned the word artificial intelligence.
1:15.0	So artificial intelligence is not just a second thought for the Pope.
1:19.0	He is putting the issue front and center of his papacy.
1:23.5	What did you think when you heard that AI was going to be such a central theme for the Vatican under this Pope?
1:29.4	I thought it was fascinating that you had, you know, the latest cutting-edge technology interacting with this 2000-year-old institution that normally we do not associate with technology,
1:51.2	and that is mostly run by rather old men who are not known for being particularly technologically savvy.
	...

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