VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Leo XIV addressed Artificial Intelligence, polarization and spiritual questions during a live event on Friday (Nov. 21), broadcast to over 16,000 U.S. Catholic teenagers gathered at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the National Catholic Youth Conference.
Organizers described the event as the “first digital visit to the United States” by the pontiff, who was born in Chicago, Illinois. Leo could be seen smiling as the roaring crowd welcomed him for the online event. Five young people took turns asking questions to the pope, with Catholic speaker and podcast host Katie Prejean McGrady moderating the conversation.
The tone was informal and direct, with the pope even joking that he only wears white socks — a nod to his favorite Chicago baseball team — and that he uses a different opening word for The New York Times Wordle game every time.
Micah Alcisto, from Honolulu, Hawaii, admitted to using AI programs like ChatGPT to write essays and perform tasks and asked Leo, who has shown a keen interest in this emerging technology during his first six months as pontiff, how young people should engage with AI.
“AI is becoming one of the defining features of our time,” the pope said, but raised concerns …