French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Pope Leo XIV to the Élysée Palace on Friday at the start of the pontiff’s four-day visit to France, the first official state visit by a pope in 18 years.
Macron and Pope Leo XIV unite on AI risks and nuclear weapons
Pope Leo XIV arrives at Notre-Dame Cathedral to lead the vespers, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Paris. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
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Macron told the pope that his visit offered hope to people confronted with quote "the spectacle of the world’s miseries."
Turning to artificial intelligence, Macron said humans must retain their rightful place as technology advances.
The French leader called on international oversight to ensure the most advanced systems mankind has ever created, are not controlled by a small number of powerful actors, or get used as instruments to oppress people.
The pontiff echoed a similar sentiment, warning that a “paradise of machines” could undermine humanity, and urged France to use its influence to promote peace both in Europe and around the world.
In a challenge to Paris, the pope also rejected the belief that nuclear weapons guarantee security, noting that they fuel a new and difficult-to-control arms race, and urged the country to resort to dialogue.