Pope Leo warns AI could become a new form of ‘economic colonialism’

• Pope Leo XIV addressed Christian lawmakers at a conference in Rome on Friday.
• He expressed concern over how AI could disrupt families and cause “economic colonialism.”
• AI has remained a focal point for Pope Leo XIV throughout his papacy.

Pope Leo XIV has a simple request for lawmakers tasked with shaping AI policy: put humans first.

The pontiff encouraged them to implement laws that uplift their constituents at the International Catholic Legislators Network’s annual conference in Rome on Friday. During his speech, Pope Leo cautioned lawmakers that putting tech over people could have dire consequences.

“At the same time, the rapid development of artificial intelligence risks creating new forms of technological dependence, with poorer nations increasingly reliant on wealthier ones,” he said. “We must remain vigilant in this regard, lest innovation become another vehicle for ideological or economic colonialism.”

The pope told lawmakers that social media algorithms already constitute a form of domination.

“Sadly, we are presented with a subtle form of domination when algorithms decide who is seen, who remains invisible, when digital platforms shape public discourse without accountability, and when the dignity of workers is subordinated to the optimization of systems,” he said.

Pope Leo also expressed concern that AI could undermine families and their place in society.

“For it is within the family that we first learn trust before calculation, generosity before competition, dialogue before division, and love before power,” he said. “Artificial intelligence must never be allowed to erode this primary cell of society — whether by reducing persons and relationships to data and simulations, by flooding young minds with content that distorts desire, or by economic models that make family life economically precarious.”

He asked that the lawmakers promote policies that “strengthen marriage and families, support parents in their educational mission and enable young people to look to the future with confidence.”

Pope Leo has made AI a central debate since the early days of his papacy. Last year, he asked the AI industry to “cultivate moral discernment” and “develop systems that reflect justice, solidarity, and a reverence for life.” In May, Pope Leo issued a letter on AI’s impact on the global workforce, the environment, and democracy, which drew responses from CEOs, lawmakers, and academics.

His remarks come at a time when tech companies are urging consumers to integrate AI into nearly all parts of their daily lives. While AI optimists say the tech can automate and speed up tasks, critics worry it will upend the job market and displace human workers.

Many companies have instructed employees to adopt AI tools. In May, a Unitarian Universalist was granted a faith-based accommodation by her boss to avoid using AI at her job.