The Holy Father, born in the United States and whose grandmother was from Le Havre, Normandy, is a priest and mathematician; he is the first pope to wear a smartwatch and to issue an encyclical dedicated to AI.

In that document, the head of the Catholic Church calls for “disarming” AI to “prevent it from dominating human beings,” France 24 notes in its coverage of the apostolic visit.

Previously, during a meeting in California with AI leaders, the Holy Father denounced the concentration of technological power in the hands of a few private companies.

The Church’s engagement with developing this new technology actually began before Leo XIV assumed leadership of the Vatican.

The television channel highlights that his predecessor, Argentine Jorge Bergoglio, initiated those efforts in 2020.

Consequently, AI is a key part of Leo XIV’s visit to France, at the invitation of the French Catholic Church and UNESCO, where he is set to address it on his arrival.

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