Man of his word: Pope Leo speeches declared human-authored by Australian AI detection tool

by | Sep 27, 2026 | Religion

Man of his word: Pope Leo speeches declared human-authored by Australian AI detection tool

Proudly Human, an Australian firm led by former chief scientist Dr. Alan Finkel, completed an analysis of Pope Leo XIV’s collection of speeches and writings, certifying them as human-created. The company collaborated with the work’s publisher, Australian Catholic University, and officials in the Vatican on the review.

The certification came shortly after the pope released his first encyclical, which cautioned against artificial intelligence and its potential risks. In that document, the pontiff expressed concerns about AI’s power becoming concentrated among a select few and advocated for the technology to remain accessible and subject to open discussion.

The verification process used by Proudly Human involves multiple AI detection tools that analyze various aspects of writing and grammar patterns. Finkel stated the company employs several tools alongside its own algorithm, and conducts regular testing to ensure accuracy. Authors or their representatives typically complete identity verification and declare their compliance with specified standards, which include prohibitions on using AI to generate initial drafts or compose sentences and paragraphs.

Finkel indicated he had confidence in the outcome before beginning the review, and the company determined the collection was substantially human-written within one day. The official terms acknowledge that certifications are based on submitted information and performed checks, with provisions for refusal or revocation if misrepresentation of authorship occurs.

Finkel framed the certification service as an alternative to potential government regulation, arguing that readers have a right to know authorship origins. He emphasized this applies particularly to religious figures, noting that congregants expect authentic human wisdom from their spiritual leaders. The university’s leadership similarly noted the value of confirming human authorship in an environment of rapidly generated online content.

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