Pope Leo XIV Addresses AI Concerns Amid Trump's Comments

<p>Pope Leo XIV told reporters that warnings from AI researchers should be "taken seriously" and are not "fake news."</p><p>Leo is leading the Catholic Church as AI raises societal concerns, and he has made confronting those risks a key part of his papacy.</p><hr /><ul><li>As the first American pope, Leo is positioned to counter President Trump, who called concerns over AI safety a "HOAX" and a "SICK conspiracy." </li><li>It is not the first time Leo has appeared to break with the president.</li></ul><p>Closing his trip to France, Leo told reporters aboard a plane that he is not in "panic mode" over AI fears.</p><ul><li>However, he stated, "I do think that the concerns raised by many of the experts, specialists in AI, should be taken seriously. I don't think that is fake news, as some have said, to try and cause whether financial or some other kind of benefit."</li><li>Leo later added, "We have to keep working, we can't sit back and pretend nothing is going to happen." </li></ul><p>He referenced Nvidia's recent software launch to help secure AI agents, as incidents of agentic misbehavior fuel AI safety concerns.</p><ul><li>Leo criticized Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, saying, "he's the same one, however, that says there should be no limits placed and no government regulation, et cetera, et cetera." </li><li>Huang has also dismissed AI fears, suggesting that the panic was a means for the cybersecurity sector to generate new business.</li></ul><p>Leo's first major encyclical, released in May, positioned the Vatican as a moral voice in the growing debate over AI.</p><ul><li>Despite the technology's usefulness, Leo warned in the document that AI could erode human judgment, deepen inequality, and destabilize democracy, among other risks.</li></ul><p>Leo advised, "We need to continue to invite political leaders, the leaders of AI, social organizations, associations to come together and look at what is happening already and what could be down the road." </p><p>Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) are set to meet with tech CEOs Tuesday.</p>