‘The brain needs to be used’

Pope Leo XIV implored clergy in the Diocese of Rome to resist a new kind of temptation at a closed-door meeting in February. Futurism.

Today, “deus ex machina” typically refers to an implausible plot device in fiction. literally means “god in the machine” and Pope Leo’s advice was about an unsurprisingly disturbing trend involving the use of ChatGPT as an integral part of the world. ritual.

on February 20 Vatican News He discussed Leo’s interactions with Catholic priests in four age groups, during which he urged clergy to resist the “temptation to prepare sermons” using artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT.

Pope said, “Like all the muscles in our body, if we do not use them, if we do not move them, they die. The brain needs to be used, so our intelligence needs to be exercised a little so that it does not lose this capacity.” he said.

Pope Leo also said that the purpose of the sermon was “preach the faith“Something AI tools can’t do – was a reference to a documented side effect of AI use”deskilling“

The Vatican is far from the only institution or organization grappling with the effects of artificial intelligence powers. The rise of artificial intelligence around the world has shaken up schools, the job market and, quite controversially, the energy landscape.

Data center development is booming as the adoption of AI continues, and communities are reporting reduced quality of life due to the noise and air pollution created by these facilities. Unfortunately, these effects are not limited to relatives.

By mid-2025, data center energy demand had driven up electricity bills across the country, with taxpayers unknowingly supporting the growth of artificial intelligence. In addition to depleting society’s water resources, data centers’ electricity use also puts a strain on an increasingly obsolete public grid.

AI firms like Meta have touted their tools as solutions to the loneliness epidemic, and some users have developed romantic relationships with chatbots, raising questions about the technology’s impact on mental health and real-life connections.

Although Pope Leo

“Not knowing the richness and value of real human relationships, they experience a kind of distance, coldness from others,” Leo said. in question.

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