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Pope Leo XIV said concerns about artificial intelligence going rogue should not be dismissed as “fake news,” calling for discussion and action. He made the remarks to reporters aboard the papal plane on September 28, 2026, as he returned from France, in contrast to President Donald Trump’s characterization of AI danger concerns as a “hoax.”

What Pope Leo said about AI risks

Asked about what the United States and China should do to prevent AI from posing catastrophic risks to humanity, Leo said, “This is a problem that, I think, we need to sit down and talk about.” The Associated Press reported his answer from the September 28 in-flight press conference.

Leo also said, “We can’t just sit back and pretend nothing is going to happen.” The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ account quotes him saying, “I don’t think that that is fake news.” In context, he was arguing that concerns about AI risks warrant serious discussion rather than dismissal.

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How Leo’s position contrasts with Trump’s

The news value of the exchange is the contrast in how the two leaders characterized AI danger concerns. The Associated Press reported that Trump had called fears about AI going rogue a “hoax.” Leo, by contrast, said the issue should be discussed and acted on. These accounts describe their public positions; they do not provide a technical assessment establishing whether a particular AI catastrophe will occur.

What response Leo described

According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Leo said a Vatican commission is coordinating AI use within Vatican City while examining its risks and benefits. He also referred to AI companies developing guardrails and limits. The bishops’ account says he was not in “panic mode” and emphasized looking for systemic causes rather than waiting to respond only at the point of an emergency.

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What the remarks do—and do not—establish

  • They establish Leo’s stated view: AI safety concerns should not be waved away as fake news, and people should discuss the issue and take action.
  • They do not establish a prediction: The reporting does not show that Leo claimed an AI catastrophe is certain or imminent.
  • They are not a technical risk estimate: The cited accounts offer no quantified assessment, analysis of a specific model or company, or complete official transcript of the press conference.

The quotations here are attributed through reporting by the Associated Press and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, rather than a complete official transcript. Read in that scope, Leo’s point is a call to take potential risks seriously—not proof of a particular outcome.

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