Opponents of AI-generated art have gained an influential supporter: the Pope.
In a recent post on X, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the essential differences between art created by humans and that produced by machines, calling for the safeguarding of human creativity in the face of advancing AI technology.
“As we navigate the era of artificial intelligence, it is increasingly vital to differentiate between human art and machine-generated outputs,” the Servus Servorum Dei stated. “An ontological distinction exists, preceding any aesthetic considerations, between genuine art and what machines create through algorithms based on countless existing works. Such algorithms lack the essence of humanity.”
Earlier this year, Pope Leo XIV further elaborated on his views regarding AI in an encyclical letter, stressing the significance of maintaining human dignity amidst growing automation.
Despite this, AI firms have been actively trying to sway the Vatican’s stance. A report indicated that Anthropic has made attempts to engage with the Pope regarding the topic of non-human consciousness, though these efforts have reportedly met with limited success.
