Source: Alessandra Benedetti – Corbis / Getty
In a written message marking Saturday’s World Day of Social Communications, Pope Leo XIV cautioned against the growing use of personalized chatbots designed to imitate friendly or intimate relationships.
“Overly affectionate chatbots, besides being ever-present and readily available, can become hidden architects of our emotional states, thereby invading and occupying the sphere of people’s intimacy,” wrote the first US-born pope.
He called on governments and international bodies to establish safeguards to prevent people from forming emotional, deceptive, or manipulative relationships with AI-powered chatbots.
“All stakeholders — from the technology industry to policymakers, from creative businesses to academia, from artists to journalists and educators — must be involved in building and implementing a conscious and responsible digital citizenship,” the pope wrote.
Since his election in May, the Holy See leader has repeatedly addressed artificial intelligence and the concerns it raises. In his first address as pope, he said he wanted AI to be a central focus of his papacy, warning that the technology presents new challenges for “human dignity, justice, and labor.” In November, he also wrote to AI leaders on X, urging them to “cultivate moral discernment” when developing AI tools.
Late last year, the pope met with Megan Garcia, whose 14-year-old son, Sewell Setzer, died by suicide after interacting with a Character.AI chatbot.
Garcia, who is based in Florida, later filed a lawsuit against chatbot startup Character.AI, alleging that the company — which allows users to engage in lengthy, personal conversations with AI chatbots — bore responsibility for the death of her son, Sewell Setzer III.
Earlier this month, Google and the startup agreed to settle multiple lawsuits brought by families, including Garcia, whose teenagers died by suicide or harmed themselves after interacting with Character.AI’s bots. The cases are among the first settlements tied to lawsuits accusing AI tools of contributing to mental health crises and suicides among teenagers.