Pope Leo XIV has raised concerns about global tensions and the ethical implications of artificial intelligence in a pair of recent statements. In a speech to diplomats on January 9, the pontiff emphasized the return of war as a troubling trend, while in a separate letter on AI, he warned of the risks posed by monopolistic control of the technology.

War Is ‘Back in Vogue’

In a sweeping address to diplomats. Pope Leo condemned abortion. Surrogacy, euthanasia, and the ‘warmongering’ he sees growing among politicians; he called for peace in conflict zones including the Holy Land, Venezuela, Myanmar, the Great Lakes region of Africa, Sudan, and Ukraine. He particularly highlighted the crisis in the Holy Land, noting the two-State solution remains the best path to peace, but lamented the rising violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.

‘In our time. The weakness of multilateralism is a particular cause for concern at the international level,’ the Pope said, according to CatholicVote.org. He warned that in many parts of the world, peace is being undermined by a mindset that equates peace with force and deterrence, a view he attributed to the writings of Saint Augustine.

AI Should Not Be Monopolized

Separately, in a detailed letter on artificial intelligence, Pope Leo warned about the dangers of autonomous weapons, the environmental impact of AI, and the threat AI poses to human connection. He emphasized that AI is not inherently evil but must be carefully regulated to avoid harm.

The Pope specifically cautioned against the concentration of AI power in the hands of a few major players—though he did not name specific companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Meta, OpenAI, or Anthropic. He noted that ‘major economic and technological actors’ are increasingly controlling platforms, data, and computing power, which can lead to distorted development and new forms of inequality.

‘When such power is concentrated in the hands of a few, it tends to become opaque and evade public oversight,’ he wrote, according to Business Insider. The Pope called for AI to be ‘disarmed’ from the race for more powerful algorithms and commercial dominance, urging a shift toward ethical stewardship and universal access to digital resources.

Universal Rights and Ethical Development

Pope Leo invoked the Catholic principle of the ‘universal destination of goods,’ traditionally applied to natural resources like air and water, and extended it to algorithms, digital platforms, and data. He argued that all people should have access to these tools, which are increasingly shaping democratic processes and economic systems.

The Pope also warned that small but influential groups could use AI to manipulate public opinion and steer economies in their favor. ‘The concentration of power in AI is not just a technological issue—it is a moral one,’ he stated. He called for greater transparency and oversight, as well as international cooperation to ensure AI is used for the common good.

In both his speech and letter. Pope Leo emphasized the need for a return to human dignity, conscience rights, and the protection of vulnerable populations. He called on world leaders and tech companies to act with responsibility and foresight to prevent the ‘ways Pope Leo warp’ from leading the world toward further conflict or digital inequality.