Steve Cortes, President of the League of American Workers, said that the Pope acknowledges both the opportunities and risks associated with technology and advocates for Christian involvement in guiding its development. This statement was made on X.
“This Pope understands both the promise and perils of technology,” said Cortes. “including AI, which must be shaped by Christians. Science and technology. Should serve humanity, not undermine it.”
According to the Financial Times, the Catholic Church perceives artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformative advancement comparable to the Industrial Revolution. The Church emphasizes AI’s potential for societal change while acknowledging existential risks. It views technology not as a threat but as a tool that must be ethically managed and aligned with principles of justice, human dignity, and inclusivity. This perspective aligns with a broader interfaith focus on “humane technology development,” exemplified by initiatives like the Rome Call for AI Ethics signed by leaders from 11 global religions.
Per AP News, Pope Leo XIV, noted as the first American pontiff, has made AI a central theme of his early papacy by identifying it explicitly as one of humanity’s most pressing challenges. In his initial formal audience with cardinals, he pledged continuity with Pope Francis and reaffirmed Catholic social teaching. He highlighted AI’s parallels with the Industrial Revolution and emphasized protecting human dignity, social justice, and labor amid technological transformation.
The Washington Post reports that Leo XIV frequently draws historical comparisons to Pope Leo XIII, who addressed labor rights in his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum. The current AI revolution is framed as an analogous moral and social challenge. The article underscores how AI raises complex questions around inequality, bioethics, surveillance, and dehumanization—areas where Catholic social doctrine can offer a moral framework. The Church’s engagement with these issues dates back decades and includes initiatives like the Rome Call for AI Ethics and the Vatican’s 2025 “Antiqua et Nova” document warning of AI’s threat to human agency.
Cortes is also known as the founder and president of the League of American Workers, which promotes pro-worker patriotic populism centered on national sovereignty, power diffusion, and populist economics. He previously served as a senior advisor and spokesperson in Donald Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns and has appeared widely as a commentator on networks including CNBC, Fox News, and CNN. A former hedge fund trader, Cortes graduated from Georgetown University.
