Pope Leo XIV shares how artificial intelligence helped him choose his papal name

Pope Leo XIV

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV has revealed that artificial intelligence played a part in inspiring the name he chose as pope.

Speaking to the College of Cardinals during his first official address on Saturday, Pope Leo XIV — formerly known as Cardinal Robert Prevost — said his decision to take the name “Leo” was a tribute to Pope Leo XIII, who led the Catholic Church from 1878 to 1903. Leo XIII is remembered for standing up for workers’ rights during the Industrial Revolution, a time when technology was changing how people lived and worked.

Pope Leo XIV said we are now facing a similar kind of revolution — but this time, it’s being driven by artificial intelligence. From chatbots and image generators to tools that can create fake news, AI is changing the world in fast and sometimes unsettling ways.
He pointed to an important letter written by Leo XIII in 1891, called Rerum Novarum, which talked about the rights of workers and the need to protect them from injustice. Pope Leo XIV said that message still matters today, especially as AI threatens to replace jobs and spread misinformation.

“In our time, AI is creating new challenges for human dignity, fairness, and labour,” he said. “The Church must respond with the same care and courage that Leo XIII showed.”

He even mentioned a moment in 2023 when a fake image of Pope Francis wearing a stylish puffer jacket went viral — a clear example of how AI can mislead people.

By choosing the name Leo, the new pope is sending a message: the Church will take the challenges of AI seriously and will speak up for truth, justice, and the rights of everyday people in this fast-changing world.