Pope Leo XIV Bans AI for Sermons, Addresses Youth Loneliness
- tech360.tv
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Pope Leo XIV banned priests from using artificial intelligence (AI) to write sermons, while also cautioning that smartphones contribute to loneliness among young people. The 70-year-old Pope made these pronouncements during a question-and-answer session with four priests following his address to the clergy of the Diocese of Rome.
Responding to a parish priest's question about effectiveness in postmodern culture, Pope Leo outlined his views on AI, emphasising the need to truly know the community served. He recalled a visit to Ostia, Rome, explaining that understanding people's reality is essential for communication.
He urged priests to remain vigilant over artificial intelligence and the internet, warning against the temptation to prepare homilies with AI. Leo explained that, similar to muscles, the brain requires use and exercise to maintain its capacity.
He stated that delivering a true homily involves sharing faith, adding that artificial intelligence would never be able to share faith. Leo mentioned that if priests offer a service tailored to their parish, people would want to see their faith and experience of knowing, and loving Jesus Christ.
In response to a young priest's question about supporting peers, Pope Leo asked priests not to be satisfied with only young people already attending church, encouraging them to seek out others. The Pope urged priests to organise, think, and seek outreach initiatives, suggesting they go out into the streets with young people and offer diverse activities such as sports, art, and culture.
He highlighted that getting to know others personally is crucial, stating that this understanding comes through a human experience of friendship with young people who live in isolation, in incredible loneliness. Leo explained that this loneliness has increased since the pandemic and due to smartphone use. He noted young people often live with a distance from others, a coldness, without understanding the richness, or value of truly human relationships.
Priests must understand how to offer young people another type of experience of friendship, of sharing, and gradually of communion, inviting them from that experience to know Jesus. Pope Leo XIV emphasised this requires time, and sacrifice, considering many young people are trapped in a terrible life of drugs, crime, and violence.
Pope Leo XIV has forbidden priests from using artificial intelligence to compose sermons.
He warned that smartphones contribute to increased loneliness among young people.
Leo emphasised that true homilies share faith, which AI cannot replicate.
Source: DAILYMAIL
