Pope Leo XIV arrives in France for UNESCO address on AI and peace

Pope Leo XIV began a four-day visit to France, the first papal visit there in 18 years, with appeals to protect human dignity amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence. Addressing President Emmanuel Macron and diplomats, he said technology must serve people and be guided by ethical judgment, and warned that measuring human worth by efficiency risks dehumanization. He condemned nuclear deterrence as a driver of arms races and urged dialogue and diplomacy over resignation to war, including in the Middle East. The itinerary includes Paris, Lourdes and Metz, with an address at UNESCO—the first papal visit to the organization in more than 40 years—focused on AI, youth, peace and interreligious dialogue. The visit also unfolds amid French debates over secularism and end-of-life legislation, as church leaders hope it will renew interest in Christianity and send a message to Europe.