Addressing participants in a meeting organized by the Foundation for the Study and Research on Childhood and Adolescence, Pope Leo XIV warned against granting “premature, unlimited, and unsupervised digital access” to young people.
“Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to manipulation through AI algorithms that can influence their decisions and preferences,” Pope Leo said during the audience, which took place yesterday in Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace. “It is essential that parents and educators be aware of these dynamics, and that tools be developed to monitor and guide young people’s interactions with technology.”
“It is indeed important to draft and enforce ethical guidelines, but that is not enough,” the Pope added, as he called for “ daily, ongoing educational efforts … Only by taking an educational, ethical and responsible approach can we ensure that artificial intelligence serves as an ally, and not a threat, in the growth and development of children and adolescents.”