He calls for caution on AI use; thanks reporters covering Ukraine, Gaza
Vatican City
Pope Leo on Thursday urged global news agencies to resist the temptation of click-bait journalism and to safeguard truth in their reporting, while cautioning against overreliance on artificial intelligence tools. Speaking at a conference hosted by Minds International, a non-profit association of news agencies, the first US-born pope said journalists must never sell out their authority by pursuing sensationalism over facts.
Communication must be freed from the misguided thinking that corrupts it … and from the degrading practice of so-called click-bait, Leo said, calling on journalists to act as a barrier against disinformation and political manipulation. The pope praised reporters covering conflict zones such as Ukraine and Gaza, acknowledging their role in ensuring the world is informed despite the risks. Every day, there are reporters who put their lives at risk to inform people about what is really happening, he said. If today we know what is happening in Gaza, Ukraine, and every other land bloodied by bombs, we largely owe it to them. He also repeated his appeal for the release of journalists imprisoned for their work.
On artificial intelligence, Leo urged vigilance to ensure technology serves humanity rather than replaces it. We are not destined to live in a world where truth is no longer distinguishable from fiction, he said, warning of junk information flooding media landscapes. Artificial intelligence is changing the way we receive information and communicate, but who directs it and for what purposes? Leo’s remarks highlighted both gratitude for journalism’s sacrifices and concern for its future integrity in an era of digital disruption.
