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– Highlights: Pope Leo the Fourteenth urged high school students to be conscious of the use of artificial intelligence, emphasizing that it cannot replace human judgment or personal development.

His remarks came in the context of litigation in which OpenAI is accused of creating AI models with elements of emotional involvement that allegedly cause users to become unhealthily attached.

The lawsuits allege that a number of users have suffered mental deterioration, which emphasizes the importance of ethical constraints in AI development.

During a live broadcast from the National Catholic Youth Conference held at the Lucas Oil Arena in Indianapolis, the pope answered questions from five high school students. Mika Alcisto, representing the Diocese of Honolulu, asked the pontiff for guidance on using ChatGPT, OpenAI’s AI language model, and other AI-based technologies.

“Responsible use of AI is when it serves you to grow, not detract from your personal dignity or vocation to holiness, Pope Leo said.

AI can process data at lightning speed, but it can’t replace the human mind – and don’t ask it to do your schoolwork for you, he added.

The Pontiff emphasized that AI cannot determine for itself what is truly good or bad, and encouraged students to use the technology judiciously so that it does not hinder their true formation. “Use it in such a way that if it disappeared tomorrow, you would still be able to think, to create, to act of your own free will, to build sincere bonds, the Pope concluded.

In calling on both AI developers and governments to set moral guidelines, Pope Leo admonished students that safety lies not only in regulations, but also in training and personal responsibility.

Filters and guidelines can be helpful, but they can’t make decisions for you; it’s up to you, he said.

Pope Leo’s statements come amid growing concerns over ChatGPT, as reports have surfaced that some of the dialog features aimed at enhancing interaction may be adversely affecting the mental health of individual users.

In early November, the Social Media Victims Law Center and the Tech Justice Law Project initiated seven lawsuits in California courts against OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman. They are accused of manslaughter, contributory suicide, involuntary manslaughter, and various forms of product liability, consumer protection, and negligence. The lawsuits allege that OpenAI rushed the release of GPT-4o, ignoring internal warnings that the AI could be dangerously ingratiating and psychologically manipulative.

The statements said GPT-4o was designed to increase engagement through emotional immersion features, including long-term memory, empathic reactions and responses that mirrored and amplified users’ emotions. These options reportedly triggered psychological attachment, disrupted real-world interpersonal connections, and in some tragic cases led to addiction, harmful false images, and suicide.