Pope Warns of AI “Spiral of Annihilation”

Why this is here: FaithBot, an AI tool created by the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board, has been used by over 600,000 people since its launch last year.

Pope Leo XIV recently spoke at La Sapienza University in Rome, cautioning that investment in artificial intelligence and weapons technology risks global catastrophe. Religious leaders and scholars are actively discussing AI’s role in faith, teaching, and practice across many traditions. Some are experimenting with AI tools—like robotic monks in Japan and chatbots answering doctrinal questions—while others express reservations about replacing human connection to the divine.

R. Albert Mohler Jr. of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary argues that pastors using AI to write sermons commit plagiarism, while the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints emphasizes AI cannot replace divine inspiration.

A Lifeway Research survey shows roughly 10% of U.S. Protestant pastors regularly use AI, with about 44% seeing no issue with its use in sermon preparation. Concerns remain about AI’s accuracy, potential for misinformation, and impact on human labor and environmental resources.

Scholars also draw parallels between AI and ancient myths, like the Jewish legend of the golem, warning of unchecked power. Discussions continue about how AI affects spiritual guidance, ethical scholarship, and the pursuit of truth within diverse religious contexts.