Pope Leo warns against a “paradise of machines” as France visit opens

Pope Leo opened a three-day visit to France with speeches focused on artificial intelligence, ethics and human dignity. Speaking at the Élysée Palace and later at UNESCO's Paris headquarters, he warned that a "paradise of machines" risks eroding what it means to be human and called for stronger ethical discernment in education and public life.

The pope said certain artificial systems have been given the name of human thought — "intelligence" — while at the same time relationships and ideas risk becoming impoverished by dehumanisation. He argued that new technologies must remain at the service of people rather than becoming instruments of domination or injustice. He added that science pursued without ethics loses its proper meaning.

Leo criticised the tendency to judge human beings by efficiency. He said when lives are assessed on productivity, people who are deemed no longer useful risk being rejected and discarded. The pope framed that tendency as a moral problem connected to how societies deploy technology and organise institutions.

During the visit he also criticised leaders who treat the law selectively, invoking it when convenient and disregarding it when it is restraining. He said this turns justice into a commodity that can be bought and sold, without naming individuals. The pope has recently expressed broader concerns about global leadership and the state of world affairs.

This is the first official papal visit to France in 18 years. Pope Leo met the French president, Emmanuel Macron, at the Élysée. A major public event on the schedule is a giant outdoor mass at Place de la Concorde. The pope, whose paternal grandmother was born in France, also urged France to remain a tireless champion of peace.

Leo raised concerns related to medical ethics after France passed legislation granting some adults the right to assisted dying. He warned against turning science and technology into profit-driven ventures that could promote genetic manipulation, surrogacy, organ trade or other practices that raise moral questions.

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On Monday he will speak in Metz about European peace as the war in Ukraine continues. He urged political leaders not to grow resigned to the prospect of war and not to treat conflict as inevitable.

On his flight to Paris the pope told reporters they were welcome to cover him, responding to a separate dispute over media access to the White House. He said he was happy that journalists were welcome on his plane.

Pope Leo's opening messages combine ethical warnings about technology with broader appeals for human dignity, respect for the rule of law and active pursuit of peace. The visit mixes high-profile public events with private meetings aimed at addressing painful institutional failures within the church.