Pope Leo warns of ‘overly affectionate’ AI chatbots

[ad_1] Watch out for the AI chatbot that turns into greater than only a good friend, or worse, an emotional crutch. Pope Leo XIV has warned about overly “affectionate” chatbots, urging regulation to stop people from forming severe emotional bonds with their AI companions .

The US-born pontiff, writing in a message forward of the Catholic Church’s annual World Day of Social Communications, mentioned artificial intelligence risked diluting human creativity and decision-making.

“As we scroll by our data feeds, it turns into more and more obscure whether or not we're interacting with different human beings, bots, or digital influencers,” Pope Leo wrote on Saturday.

“As a result of chatbots which are made overly ‘affectionate,’ along with at all times current and accessible, can grow to be hidden architects of our emotional states, and on this method invade and occupy folks’s intimate spheres,” he added.

In comparison with his predecessors, Leo XIV is extra engaged with the digital world. As a bishop and cardinal, he had an X account, and as pope he wears what seems to be an Apple watch or different good watch.

Quickly after his election, Leo mentioned he wished to make AI a spotlight of his papacy and has known as for an moral framework for the creating expertise.

On the finish of 2025, Leo additionally met Megan Garcia, a girl whose 14-year-old son, Sewell Setzer, took his personal life after partaking with an AI Chatbot. In his newest message, the pope known as for nationwide governments and worldwide our bodies to take motion on this space.

“Acceptable regulation can defend folks from an emotional attachment to chatbots and include the unfold of false, manipulative or deceptive content material, preserving the integrity of data towards its misleading simulation,” he wrote.

Leo additionally known as for clear distinctions between content material generated by AI versus created by folks, together with journalists.

“Authorship and sovereign possession of the work of journalists and different content material creators have to be protected,” the pontiff mentioned. “Data is a public good.”

And he urged media and communication firms to not use algorithms “for a couple of extra seconds of consideration” if it betrays their “skilled values.”

Leo additionally raised issues in regards to the “handful of firms” behind the event of AI, pointing particularly to the founders who had been just lately offered as “ Person of the Year 2025 ” by Time journal. Leo mentioned it “raises issues” {that a} small group of individuals has “management of algorithmic and AI programs that may subtly form habits and even rewrite human historical past – together with the historical past of the Church – usually with out us totally realizing it.”

The church’s World Day of Social Communications takes place on Could 17, 2026, and this 12 months is targeted on defending human dignity at a time of technological innovation.