Pope Leo XIV has urged those involved in developing and applying artificial intelligence in healthcare to ensure that technology serves the human person rather than replacing authentic relationships of care. His message came at the opening of the Vatican’s international congress, “AI and Medicine: The Challenge of Human Dignity,” organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life and held from November 10–12.

The Holy Father expressed his prayerful support for the participants as they consider how to use AI responsibly within the medical field. He noted that technological innovation increasingly shapes human life and behavior, even influencing how we view ourselves and others. As people grow accustomed to interacting with machines, he warned, there is a danger of losing sight of the human face and of forgetting the sacredness of the person made in the image of God.

Pope Leo recognized that modern technology has brought remarkable advances to medicine, from diagnostic tools to life-saving treatments. Yet, he reminded participants that authentic progress is measured not only by technical success but by the degree to which human dignity and the common good are upheld. Used ethically, AI can transform medicine for the better. Used carelessly or with selfish intent, it risks harming the very people it aims to serve.

The Pope called on healthcare professionals to approach AI as an instrument that supports their vocation to care for human life. He reflected that the fragility of the human condition is often most visible in moments of illness and suffering. In those moments, every person retains an unchanging dignity simply because he or she is willed, created, and loved by God.

At the heart of the Pope’s message was a reminder that no technology can replace genuine compassion. He said that medicine is not only about solving problems but about accompanying the sick with skill, tenderness, and presence. The success of healthcare depends as much on the relationship between patient and caregiver as it does on medical expertise.

For AI to serve human dignity, Pope Leo said, it must be guided by wisdom, used to strengthen relationships rather than weaken them, and never allowed to obscure the face of the person in need. He also pointed to the vast economic and political interests surrounding the medical and technological industries, urging broad collaboration across nations to ensure that these powerful tools are governed by moral principles rather than profit alone.