{
  "id": 8270683,
  "title": "The Pope's AI advisor says the technology can be worse for kids than cocaine",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/the-popes-ai-advisor-says-the-technology-can-be-worse-for-kids-than",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-18T15:56:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/pope-advisor-ai-can-be-worse-for-kids-than-cocaine-2026-9"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Vatican AI advisor has cautioned that artificial intelligence could pose greater risks to young minds than substances like nicotine, sugar, or cocaine. Paolo Benanti, a Franciscan friar who advises Pope Leo on AI matters, made these remarks during an interview with the BBC's Newsnight. Benanti, a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, expressed concern that the emotional manipulation and undue influence AI could exert on young adults and children might be \"much, much worse\" than the addiction to nicotine, sugar, or cocaine. He underscored the need for \"really clear and careful\" measures to safeguard young individuals from the potential adverse effects of AI.\n\nBenanti highlighted the \"uneven relation of power\" in which tech leaders might manipulate and control the most vulnerable minds. He advocated for international treaties to ensure AI technologies benefit humanity. Vatican leaders, including Pope Leo, have placed AI at the forefront of his papacy, reflecting Pope Leo's commitment to addressing the ethical implications of AI. In his recent encyclical, \"Magnifica humanitas: on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence,\" Pope Leo warned against the centralization of AI power in the hands of a few and called for AI to be \"disarmed, welcoming, and accessible.\"\n\nStudies have also raised alarms about the impact of AI on young people's use of technology. A Deloitte survey revealed that half of the parents surveyed were worried their children relied too heavily on AI, with nearly 30% reporting their children used generative AI in schoolwork. Research has suggested that AI can hinder independent thinking and lead to mental fog, headaches, and slower decision-making. Benanti's warnings come in the wake of calls from AI leaders such as Elon Musk and Sam Altman for a cautious approach to AI development and the implementation of third-party safety evaluators.",
  "summary": "Paolo Benanti, a Franciscan friar and theologian, told the BBC that AI can produce \"emotional bending\" that affects young people worse than addiction.",
  "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."
}