Pope Leo XIV has cautioned against the misuse of artificial intelligence, warning that it is increasingly being used to spread polarisation, conflict, fear, and violence.

Speaking in Yaoundé, Cameroon, the pope said the danger goes beyond technology itself, stressing that AI risks replacing reality with simulation and altering humanity’s relationship with truth.

He also criticised the environmental and social damage caused by the extraction of rare earth minerals needed to power AI systems, particularly in Africa.

The pontiff highlighted how the demand for resources like cobalt has contributed to conflict and exploitation, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He further condemned corruption in the mining sector, noting that foreign powers benefit from Africa’s resources while local populations bear the consequences.