According to Fortune, Pope Leo XIV spoke virtually to thousands of American teenagers at the National Catholic Youth Conference on Friday, delivering a stark warning about artificial intelligence. The 70-year-old pontiff, who plays Wordle daily, acknowledged AI is becoming a “defining feature” of our time but urged young people not to ask it to do their homework. His message comes as recent College Board research found 84% of high school students use generative AI tools for schoolwork, with 50% uncertain whether the benefits outweigh the risks. Pope Leo emphasized that AI cannot replace human intelligence or offer real wisdom, missing crucial human elements. He stopped short of telling youth to reject AI entirely but urged responsible use that supports personal development without compromising humanity.
The Homework Problem
Here’s the thing – the pope isn’t wrong about the homework issue. When 84% of students are already using AI for schoolwork, we’re talking about a fundamental shift in how learning happens. But is this really different from previous technology panics? Remember when calculators would destroy our math skills? Or when Google would make us stop remembering things?
The difference now is scale and sophistication. AI doesn’t just give you answers – it can write entire essays, solve complex problems, and even simulate conversations. The pope’s concern about AI “chipping away” at essential human abilities hits close to home. If you never struggle through writing a paper or working through a difficult math problem, what are you actually learning? The process matters as much as the result.
Beyond Homework
What’s really interesting is how the pope’s warning extends beyond academics into something deeper. He’s talking about AI’s effect on our very humanity – our ability to form “authentic friendships” and grasp “truth and beauty.” This isn’t just about cheating on algebra homework anymore.
Think about it: we’re already seeing AI companions and relationship coaches. Young people are turning to AI for emotional support and social guidance. The pope’s message about AI missing the “human element” becomes critically important here. Can an algorithm really understand the complexity of human relationships? Probably not.
The Vatican’s Evolving Position
This isn’t the pope’s first rodeo with AI ethics. Back in June at the Rome Conference on AI, he was already raising similar concerns while acknowledging the technology’s potential benefits. His official message questioned AI’s impact on “humanity’s openness to truth and beauty” – pretty deep stuff for a tech conference.
What’s striking is who was in the room for that discussion: representatives from Google, IBM, Meta, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Palantir. The Vatican isn’t just preaching to the choir – they’re engaging directly with the companies building this technology. That June gathering showed the Church is serious about having a seat at the AI ethics table.
The Practical Takeaway
So what does this mean for students and young professionals? The pope’s advice about using AI in ways that “help you grow” without making you dependent is actually pretty practical. It’s about maintaining your own capabilities while leveraging technology as a tool.
His warning that “access to data must not be confused with intelligence” is something we all need to remember. In an age where AI can generate convincing content instantly, the ability to think critically becomes more valuable than ever. The real skill isn’t knowing how to use AI – it’s knowing when not to use it.
Basically, the pope’s message boils down to this: don’t outsource your thinking. Use AI as a calculator for your brain, not as a replacement for it. Because if the technology disappeared tomorrow, you’d still need to know how to think, create, and connect on your own.
