Pope Leo began a four-day visit to France on Friday, placing the risks of artificial intelligence and the Catholic Church’s response to clergy sexual abuse at the centre of his first major engagement in the country.
Speaking at the Élysée Palace in Paris, Leo warned that unchecked artificial intelligence could create what he described as a “paradise of machines” that could increasingly shape human life. He called for stronger ethical education to ensure technological development does not undermine human dignity.
The pope also criticised developments involving assisted dying, genetic manipulation, surrogacy and the trade in human organs, reiterating longstanding Catholic positions on human life.
His visit is also intended to address the Church’s damaged standing following a 2021 investigation that estimated about 330,000 French children had been abused by Catholic clergy and lay workers over seven decades. Leo is scheduled to meet seven survivors in Lourdes on Sunday.
The pontiff is also expected to visit the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and later travel to Lourdes and Metz, where he will deliver a speech on Europe, peace and unity.
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