Pope Leo has urged governments to slow down the development of AI systems in his first major document, warning that they spread misinformation, prioritise conflict and risk leading the world down a path of unending war.
Leo, who has adopted a more forceful tone in recent months and has drawn the ire of US President Donald Trump after criticising the Iran war, made a range of impassioned appeals to world leaders in the lengthy text, known as an encyclical.
The first US Pope called for ownership of AI data not to be left solely in private hands, for policy-makers to protect the rights of workers and keep children safe from the technology, and urged the cooling of competition between AI companies.
