Vatican City: Pope Leo cautioned young Americans against relying on artificial intelligence to complete their schoolwork, telling them it should be a tool for learning, not a shortcut.
Speaking live via video from the Vatican to nearly fifteen thousand participants at a national Catholic youth conference in Indianapolis, the pope said AI is becoming a central force of modern life and must be used with care.
Leo told the students that responsible use of technology means choosing tools that strengthen understanding and personal growth rather than replacing genuine effort. It was the first large-scale youth dialogue of his six-month papacy, a forty-minute exchange in which he answered questions about faith, friendship, and the challenges faced by young people in school and society.
The pope, the first from the United States, also touched briefly on politics. He has recently stepped up criticism of President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration stance, and during the session, he repeated his long-held message that Christians are called to build bridges, not walls. His comments echoed one of Francis’s strongest public rebukes of Trump’s border policies during his own papacy.
Pope Leo XIV meets online with over 16,000 teenagers gathered in Indianapolis, Indiana, and invites young Catholics to grow in friendship with Jesus Christ, use technology healthily to deepen their faith, and avoid using political categories to speak about the Church.…
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) November 21, 2025
Leo reminded the audience that the Church does not belong to any political party and should not be used to advance partisan agendas. Instead, he said the role of the Church is to guide conscience, form character, and help believers choose paths rooted in wisdom and compassion.
The Indianapolis youth responded with cheers as Leo encouraged them to be open, kind, and courageous in forming friendships at school, placing trust in the community rather than retreating into isolation.
For many attending, the live conversation marked an unprecedented moment of connection with the Vatican, blending tradition with technology in a way that resonated strongly with the next generation.
