RCC head turns down a proposal to create an “artificial pope”
“If there’s anybody who should not be represented by an avatar, I would say the pope is high on the list,” the pontiff said.
Pope Leo said he rejected a proposal to create a version of himself as artificial intelligence, warning that such technology could seriously jeopardize human identity. Politico reported this on 19 September 2025.
The pontiff said he had been asked to authorize an “artificial pope” so that anyone could receive a personal audience.
“This artificial intelligence pope would give them answers to their questions, and I said, ‘I’m not going to authorize that,’” the pope said in the interview.
According to him, “If there’s anybody who should not be represented by an avatar,” then “the pope is high on the list.”
Earlier, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, in an address to participants of the AI for Good summit, emphasized that AI requires ethical governance.
