{
  "id": 4023737,
  "title": "The Pope says states struggle to control the concentration of artificial intelligence",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/the-pope-says-states-struggle-to-control-the-concentration-of",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-28T18:56:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MercoPress",
    "slug": "mercopress",
    "url": "https://en.mercopress.com/2026/08/28/the-pope-says-states-struggle-to-control-the-concentration-of-artificial-intelligence"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pope Leo XIV expressed concern on Friday about the ability of states to regulate artificial intelligence, which he believes is controlled by a limited number of major economic and technological organizations. During a meeting in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace with members of the Institut International des Sciences Administratives in Brussels, he emphasized the necessity of ethical guidelines for the utilization of these powerful tools. The pontiff warned that allowing such concentration of power could lead to a disregard for the common good, suggesting humanity might risk being controlled by its own creations. He questioned whether future innovations in AI would allow for control over these machines, expressing fears about humanity potentially becoming victims of their own inventions. Pope Leo XIV also highlighted the issue of decisions regarding human life being handed over to machines. He stressed the irreplaceable role of human intelligence and advocated for experts to assist authorities in decision-making processes. The Pope concluded by urging attendees to focus on humanizing digital technologies, ensuring they serve life and peace. His remarks are based on his encyclical Magnifica humanitas, which addresses safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence. This speech follows a previous address on the same topic a week earlier, in which he warned of AI potentially becoming an instrument of ideological or economic colonialism. The Pope emphasized that every technological advancement raises moral questions, urging caution against developing a \"new Tower of Babel\" where power and control overshadow the human person.",
  "summary": "Pope Leo XIV warned on Friday of the difficulty states face in overseeing artificial intelligence, which in his view is concentrated in the hands of a small number of major economic and technological players, and called for the use of such tools to be governed by ethical criteria.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}