Pope Leo XIV called for a formal alliance between the Catholic Church and artists to protect human creativity amid the rise of AI-generated content. The pontiff stated that distinguishing human art from machine output has become urgent, arguing that algorithms lack the "spark of humanity" inherent in human creation.
In a post on X, Leo described an "ontological difference" between art and what machines generate through statistical calculation. He noted that AI systems rely on millions of images created by others, a process he contrasted with the human experience. The pope said the Church is seeking an alliance with artists and cultural institutions to "safeguard our humanity."
This statement follows reporting by The New York Times regarding Anthropic's efforts to consult with religious scholars. According to the report, the company aims to infuse religious morals into its Claude model. Leo has previously acknowledged the potential benefits of artificial intelligence but maintained that progress cannot come at the expense of human dignity.
The current directive is part of a broader effort by Leo to address the impact of AI on society. In the first encyclical of his papacy, he argued that technology must be reined in so it does not exert control over people. In May, the pope established a Vatican commission on AI to coordinate the church's policies and work related to the technology.
Recently, Leo warned of a "paradise of machines" invading daily activities. He stated that recent warnings from AI researchers should be "taken seriously." In late September, he told reporters, "We have to keep working. We can't sit back and pretend nothing is going to happen." The late Pope Francis had previously warned that AI risked reducing humans into data points.