Pope Leo XIV has rejected a proposal to create an AI-powered “virtual pope,” saying he was horrified by the idea of a digital clone that could interact with the faithful online.
In an interview for a new biography, Leo said he refused authorization for an AI avatar of himself. He also cautioned that technology and automation can create a fake world while stripping people of meaningful jobs. The Catholic News Service report underscores his call to safeguard truth and human labor as AI advances.
No room for a digital double
The pope revealed that he was asked to approve the creation of “an artificial me” that would let people log onto a website and hold a personal audience with a virtual pope. The project envisioned an AI answering questions on his behalf, but he said firmly, “I’m not going to authorize that.”
He acknowledged the ingenuity behind such proposals and the usefulness of AI in certain areas, but also stressed that an avatar of the papacy crosses a line he will not permit.
His rejection comes at a time when deepfakes are surging across politics, entertainment, and everyday life. From soldiers to celebrities, synthetic videos and images are being used to mislead and manipulate audiences.
Deepfake technology has also been weaponized for scams. In one case, fraudsters used a deepfake of a soap opera actor to trick a woman into transferring $431,000.
These incidents illustrate how false identities can disseminate misinformation and deception, echoing the Pope’s warning about artificial substitutes eroding trust.
Protecting livelihoods in the age of AI
Leo said he sees a crisis ahead if technology advances without safeguards for workers. Human dignity, he emphasized, is closely tied to the ability to earn a living and contribute through meaningful labor.
“If we automate the whole world and only a few people have the means with which to more than just survive, but to live well, have meaningful lives, there’s a big problem, a huge problem coming down the line,” he said.
The pope’s warning aligns with mounting job losses, as businesses shift to automation. According to the World Economic Forum, four in 10 employers plan workforce reductions linked to AI.
And it’s happening now. Microsoft has eliminated about 15,000 roles since May, while Salesforce cut nearly 4,000 customer service jobs in favor of artificial intelligence.
Keeping science in balance with humanity
Leo said AI may be impressive, but it also risks blurring the line between reality and illusion. Human life, he stressed, finds its meaning in real encounters, not artificial replicas.
He warned that if technology drifts away from faith and reason, it becomes “an empty, cold shell” that endangers humanity itself. In that scenario, he said, the human heart is at risk of being lost amid rapid technological change.
While the Church supports scientific progress, the pope added, it insists that technology must remain in balance with faith, reason, and human dignity.
A parallel controversy hit Hollywood, as Scarlett Johansson called out an AI deepfake video that exploited her image without permission.