Pope Leo Warns AI Could Become an Instrument of Domination During France Visit

Speaking at the Élysée Palace, the 71-year-old pontiff said there is an urgent need for people to be educated in ethical discernment so they remain capable of recognising what is morally right. He warned that failing to cultivate that capacity could mean surrendering something essential about human identity as machines grow more influential in daily life.

Pope Leo launched a three-day visit to France on 26 September 2026 with a strong caution about artificial intelligence, warning that society risks losing its sense of humanity inside what he called a "paradise of machines."

Later the same day, Leo addressed the Paris headquarters of Unesco, the United Nations' culture and education agency, where he pressed his argument further. He stated that new technologies must remain tools that serve people rather than become instruments of domination or injustice.

Concerns over dehumanization

At the Unesco gathering, Leo said science loses its proper purpose when pursued without ethical grounding. He observed that some artificial systems have been given the name of humanity's own capacity for thought — intelligence — even as human relationships and ideas risk being diminished through a broader process of dehumanization.

He added that while computational systems are increasingly credited with intelligence, society is struggling to uphold the inherent dignity of human beings, whose worth is too often measured by efficiency and cast aside once they are seen as no longer productive.

A broader critique of global leadership

Beyond AI, Leo also criticised world leaders who, he suggested, treat the rule of law selectively — invoking it when convenient and disregarding it when it stands in their way — while reducing justice itself to something resembling a commodity. He did not name any specific leaders in those remarks.

This is not the first time Leo, who became pope in 2025, has spoken critically about global leadership. In April he said the world was being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, reflecting a broader pattern of the pontiff commenting on political affairs during his relatively short time leading the Catholic Church.

Political backdrop and significance of the visit

Leo's trip is the first official papal visit to France in 18 years. It comes at a politically significant moment, with President Emmanuel Macron's decade in office approaching its end ahead of next spring's presidential election — a race in which hard-right, anti-immigration candidate Marine Le Pen is currently polling strongly.

The visit also contrasts with the approach of Leo's predecessor. Pope Francis made no full state visit to France during his 12-year papacy and did not attend the reopening ceremony for the newly rebuilt Notre Dame Cathedral in 2024.