Pope Francis Warns of Cognitive Pollution and Fake News Threat from Artificial Intelligence

Pope Francis has raised concerns about the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI), warning about the potential for cognitive pollution and the distortion of reality. In his message for the Roman Catholic Church’s World Day of Social Communications, the Pope highlighted the prevalence of disinformation, including the use of deepfakes and fake audio messages to spread false narratives. The Pope himself acknowledged being a victim of a viral fake image last year. He called for a legally binding international treaty to regulate AI and expressed worries about its impact on pluralism and the media, particularly in war reporting. Francis stressed the need for AI to support, rather than eliminate, the role of journalism on the ground.