Pope Leo XIV called for greater responsibility in the use of science and technology on Thursday, warning that climate change, artificial intelligence and other rapidly developing technologies raise questions that reach far beyond scientific progress alone.
Addressing members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences at the Vatican on Sept. 24, Pope Leo stressed that advances capable of transforming human life must remain firmly directed toward the dignity of the human person and the common good.
“The greater our power to transform the world,” the Pope said, “the greater must be our capacity to discern what truly serves God-given human dignity,” according to Vatican News.
The Pope spoke as members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences gathered for their Sept. 24–25 Plenary Session, focused on “The Future of Science in a Changing World.” His remarks emphasized the need to pair scientific ambition and technological innovation with ethical responsibility, international cooperation and concern for those most vulnerable.
“Scientific and technological advancement must therefore be accompanied by a corresponding growth in responsibility,” Pope Leo said.
That responsibility, he warned, is increasingly important as emerging technologies create both opportunities and new risks. According to Vatican News, Pope Leo pointed to the potential benefits of technology in areas such as healthcare, food production and humanity’s understanding of the universe, while also highlighting dangers associated with artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities and autonomous weapons.
“Artificial intelligence can be used for surveillance, manipulation and discrimination,” the Pope warned. He also noted the environmental costs associated with the technology, saying that “current AI systems require enormous amounts of energy and water, significantly influencing carbon dioxide emissions, and place heavy demands on natural resources.”
Pope Leo placed particular emphasis on the relationship between climate change and the Church’s concern for human dignity, especially the dignity of the poor and vulnerable.
Drawing upon themes emphasized by Pope Francis in Laudato si’, Pope Leo argued that environmental questions cannot be separated from questions of justice and solidarity.
“It follows that the climate question is not merely an environmental challenge, it is fundamentally a question of justice, human dignity and solidarity between peoples and generations,” Pope Leo said.
The Pope urged governments, scientists and other leaders to look beyond responding to disasters only after they occur. Instead, he called for greater emphasis on preparation, prevention and long-term resilience.
“We cannot respond to these challenges only after disaster has already struck,” he said. “We need to move from emergency response to prevention, from vulnerability to preparedness, and from short-term measures to a wise and far-sighted vision for humanity.”
According to Vatican News, Pope Leo also praised efforts by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences to bring together scientists, young people, civil authorities, religious representatives and others to address climate resilience.
Because climate challenges extend across national borders and academic disciplines, the Pope said cooperation must do the same.
“The challenges of a changing climate,” Pope Leo said, “cross every boundary between disciplines, institutions and nations; our response must therefore cross them as well.”
He concluded by encouraging scientists to pursue knowledge with both confidence and humility, while ensuring that those most vulnerable are not forgotten as humanity develops new technologies and responds to environmental challenges.
“It is my prayer that you will foster a scientific culture that is ambitious yet humble, rigorous yet open to dialogue, innovative yet responsible, globally cooperative yet inclusive of those most at risk and most in need,” Pope Leo said.
Such cooperation, he added, can help ensure that science remains a public good dedicated to peace, “safeguarding God-given human dignity, promoting the common good and caring for creation.”
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