Pope Leo XIV said on Saturday that he regretted remarks he made after they were interpreted as a response to criticism from President Donald Trump, insisting he had no interest in engaging in any public dispute with the US leader.
Speaking to journalists while travelling to Angola, the pontiff clarified that a previous speech referencing “tyrants” had been written well before Trump commented that he was “not a big fan” of the American pope.
“That speech was prepared in advance, and yet it was perceived as if I were trying to start a new debate with the president, which doesn’t interest me at all,” he said.
The remarks were delivered during the second leg of his African tour in Cameroon, where he addressed issues including global instability and authoritarianism.
His clarification came as he also used the visit to warn about the growing risks posed by artificial intelligence, cautioning that it could deepen “polarisation, conflict, fear and violence.”
In a speech at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, Cameroon, the pope said the rapid spread of AI systems risked blurring the line between reality and simulation.
“The challenge posed by these systems is greater than it appears: it is not just about the use of new technologies, but about the gradual replacement of reality by its simulation,” he said.
He warned that such developments could reshape society’s relationship with truth, saying: “What is at stake is not merely the risk of error, but a transformation in our very relationship with truth.”
The comments are part of a broader series of interventions during his 11-day Africa tour, where the pope has increasingly taken a more outspoken tone, particularly on global peace, inequality, and the ethical risks of emerging technologies.
AFP
