Pope Leo XIV was named among the 25 most influential Thinkers, lauded for his emphasis on the moral dimensions of AI
Newsroom (29/08/2025, Gaudium Press ) Time Magazine included Pope Leo XIV in its 2025 list of the “World’s Most Influential People in Artificial Intelligence,” released Thursday, August 28, recognizing the pontiff’s leadership in addressing the ethical implications of the rapidly evolving technology.
The annual list, now in its third year, ranks 100 individuals across four categories: Leaders, Innovators, Shapers, and Thinkers. Pope Leo XIV was named among the 25 most influential Thinkers, lauded for his emphasis on the moral dimensions of AI. In a profile penned by Time technology correspondent Andrew Chow, the magazine highlighted the pontiff’s deliberate choice of papal name, inspired by the need to confront ethical challenges posed by AI.
Chow noted that Leo XIV, who assumed the papacy earlier this year, selected his name in homage to Pope Leo XIII, who served from 1878 to 1903. Leo XIII’s landmark encyclical, Rerum Novarum, addressed the social upheavals of the Industrial Revolution, advocating for the dignity of workers while rejecting both unchecked capitalism and socialism. In a parallel to that era, Leo XIV, speaking to the College of Cardinals two days after his election, said he chose the name to address “developments in the field of artificial intelligence,” which he described as presenting “new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor.”
In June, the Vatican hosted the Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Corporate Governance, where Leo XIV delivered a keynote address. He underscored AI’s potential to advance health care and scientific discovery while cautioning against its risks. “AI raises troubling questions on its possible repercussions on humanity’s openness to truth and beauty, on our distinctive ability to grasp and process reality,” he said, according to Time’s profile. The pontiff also warned of the technology’s potential misuse for “selfish gain at the expense of others, or worse, to foment conflict and aggression.”
Time’s 2025 list also features prominent figures such as xAI founder Elon Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Chris Murphy, reflecting the diverse voices shaping AI’s trajectory.
The magazine launched the AI list in 2023, following the public debut of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which sparked widespread awareness of AI’s transformative potential. “Our aim was to show how the direction AI travels will be determined not by machines but by people—innovators, advocates, artists, and everyone with a stake in the future of this technology,” wrote Time Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs in an introduction to this year’s list. “This year’s list further confirms our focus on people.”
Pope Leo XIV’s inclusion underscores the growing intersection of technology and ethics, with the pontiff emerging as a global voice urging vigilance to ensure AI serves humanity’s highest aspirations.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
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