Pope Leo XIV has convened his first meeting with the world’s cardinals since his election as head of the Catholic Church, highlighting artificial intelligence (AI) as one of humanity’s most critical challenges. Leo, the first American pope, presented his vision for his papacy at the Vatican on Saturday, informing the cardinals who elected him that AI threatens the protection of “human dignity, justice and labour”—a perspective shared by his predecessor, the late Pope Francis. In explaining his choice of name, the pope said he identified with the late Leo XIII, who championed workers’ rights during his 1878-1903 papacy amid the dawn of the industrial age, adding that “social teaching” is now essential in response to the modern revolution brought on by AI. The late Pope Francis, who passed away last month, cautioned that AI risks reducing human relationships to mere algorithms and called for an international treaty to regulate its use. Last year, Francis warned the Group of Seven industrialized nations that AI must remain human-centered so that decisions regarding the use of weapons or even less-lethal tools would not be entrusted to machines. In a speech delivered in Italian, Pope Leo repeatedly referenced Francis and the mourning following his death, stating the late pontiff left a “precious legacy” and signaling his intention to carry forward that vision. Later on Saturday, Pope Leo made an unexpected visit to a sanctuary south of Rome dedicated to the Madonna, which holds significance for his Augustinian order. In the town of Genazzano, people gathered in the square outside the main church housing the Madre del Buon Consiglio sanctuary, awaiting Leo’s arrival. The pontiff greeted and blessed several individuals in the crowd before entering the shrine. Leo had previously visited the sanctuary, managed by Augustinian friars, last year when he was still a cardinal.

The site has been a place of pilgrimage since the 15th century. China controversy Francis, who was pope for 12 years, often faced criticism from conservative cardinals who accused him of diluting Church doctrine on matters such as LGBTQ inclusion and women’s leadership. Leo, formerly US Cardinal Robert Prevost, was relatively unknown on the global stage before his election. He spent much of his career as a missionary in Peru before serving as a senior Vatican official. Saturday’s meeting was held in the same small Vatican auditorium where the cardinals had gathered in the days leading up to the conclave to discuss papal candidates. Czech Cardinal Dominik Duka told Reuters that the situation of Catholics in communist China had been raised during the meeting. The Vatican and China signed a controversial 2018 agreement on bishop appointments in the country, granting Beijing some influence over their selection. While conservatives have condemned the still-secret deal as a betrayal, Duka told Reuters it is necessary to maintain dialogue in places where the Church faces oppression.