Pope Leo Tells Students ‘Don’t Ask AI to Do Your Homework’ During Virtual Appearance at Youth Conference

Pope Leo is offering young people some clear advice about how they use technology — especially artificial intelligence.

On Friday, Nov. 21, the 70-year-old head of the Catholic Church spoke via video link to students at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, warning them not to rely on AI as a substitute for their own minds and moral judgment.

“AI can process information quickly, but it cannot replace human intelligence and don’t ask it to do your homework for you. It cannot offer real wisdom,” he said. “It misses a very important human element. AI will not judge between what is truly right and wrong. And it won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.”

He described AI as “one of the defining features of our time,” but stressed that how it’s used matters just as much as how it’s built.

“Safety is not only about rules, it’s about education and it’s about personal responsibility,” he continued. “Filters and guidelines can help you, but they cannot make choices for you. Only you can do that. These years of your life are meant to help you grow to mature adults, spiritually this means deepening your friendship with God and becoming more like him.”

The pope also highlighted the importance of learning to think more deeply and independently, encouraging young people “to examine reality, to search for truth, beauty and goodness.”

“Using AI responsibly means using it in ways that help you grow, never in ways that distract you from your dignity or your call to holiness,” he said. “In your education, make the most of this time.”

“So be prudent, be wise, be careful that your use of AI does not limit your true human growth. Use it in such a way that if it disappeared tomorrow, you would still know how to think, how to create, how to act on your own, how to form authentic friendships,” he told the students.

“Remember, AI cannot ever replace the unique gift that you are to the world,” Pope Leo concluded.

The Q&A between the students and Pope Leo was moderated by speaker and radio host Katie Prejean McGrady, who also posed a few lighter questions — including asking the pope about his opening word for Wordle and noting that she was wearing “pope socks.”

“I only wear white socks and I use a different word for Wordle every day, so there’s no set starting word,” the pope joked, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.

Earlier this month, the pope addressed attendees at the Builders AI Forum 2025, held at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he praised efforts to ensure that emerging technologies respect “the dignity of the human person and the common good,” according to the Vatican.