At UNESCO in Paris Friday, Pope Leo XIV warned AI could threaten human dignity and become an instrument of domination, saying it must serve people. Donald Trump, by contrast, called AI concerns a “hoax” at the UN Tuesday and said he would not stifle growth.
Leo said AI systems can correlate data but cannot answer questions about life’s meaning. He also warned that abundant information is not the same as wisdom and that communication channels can multiply false information without a shared ethical foundation.
Trump said the Justice Department would monitor the AI industry and intervene if necessary. Leo’s May 15 encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, argues that AI must not reduce people to productivity, cognitive performance or data, and that human conscience and responsibility should direct innovation and set its limits.
