Pope Leo XIV: AI doom fears are not ‘fake news’
Pope Leo XIV has publicly stated that concerns regarding the existential risks of artificial intelligence are legitimate and not 'fake news.' He criticized tech leaders who advocate for zero regulation, positioning his stance against that of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Why it matters
The intersection of religious leadership and technological ethics highlights the growing global debate over AI safety and government oversight.
Pope Leo on Monday (September 28, 2026) said concerns that artificial intelligence could destroy the world are not “fake news” and should be taken seriously, in an apparent rebuke of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The first U.S. pope, who has warned of the dangers of AI throughout his 16-month papacy, also directly criticized technology CEOs who argued there should be no guardrails on the technology.
“I do think that the concerns raised by many of the experts, specialists in AI, should be taken seriously,” the pontiff said in a press conference on his flight back to Rome after a four-day trip to France. “I don’t think that that is fake news, as some have said.”
Mr. Trump told the U.N. General Assembly last week that he believed fears about the dangers to humanity from AI were a “hoax.”
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