Pope Leo XIV opened his four-day visit to France with a sharp critique of the rapid integration of artificial intelligence into daily life.
Speaking to Church and state officials at the Élysée Palace following talks with President Emmanuel Macron, the Pope warned against the danger of 'losing our humanity amid a paradise of machines.' This is not the first time the Pontiff has addressed the issue; earlier this year, he called for AI to be 'disarmed,' drawing a stark comparison between the potential for AI-driven exploitation and the historical horrors of the slave trade.
As the Pope travels across France, he is expected to engage with a variety of social and religious issues, including a meeting with migrants in Paris and victims of clergy abuse in Lourdes.
While the visit has been marked by high-profile preparations and massive crowds, it also highlights the ongoing tension between France’s rigid state secularism and the role of religious tradition in the public sphere.
Despite the country's declining church attendance, Cardinal François Bustillo noted a growing spiritual void in France, suggesting that the Pope’s visit serves as a necessary reminder of the Western roots that secularism has attempted to erase.
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