Pope Leo XIV has called on Catholic technologists, developers, and venture capitalists to use artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for spreading the Gospel and deepening the mission of the Church.

Speaking through a letter read at the 2025 Builders AI Forum in Rome, the pope urged innovators to ensure that their AI creations serve humanity — not just through efficiency or entertainment, but by advancing AI evangelization and “the integral development of every person.”

Pope Leo XIV’s Message: Technology in Service of the Gospel

“Whether designing algorithms for Catholic education, tools for compassionate health care, or creative platforms that tell the Christian story with truth and beauty, each participant contributes to a shared mission,” Pope Leo XIV wrote.

The message, delivered by Jesuit Father David Nazar, set a clear tone: AI must be grounded in ethics and faith, not ambition or profit.

This was the first time Pope Leo XIV directly linked artificial intelligence to the Church’s evangelizing mission, marking a new chapter in the Vatican’s digital outlook.

He emphasized that AI evangelization is not merely about spreading content online — it’s about using technology to foster authentic encounters with truth, compassion, and community.

Builders AI Forum: Catholic Tech Meets Innovation

Held at the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Builders AI Forum gathered more than 200 participants — including software engineers, venture capitalists, bishops, media producers, and Vatican officials.

Major companies like Microsoft, Palantir Technologies, and Goldman Sachs were represented, alongside Catholic creators and ministry leaders. Actor and producer Lorenzo Henrie, who is currently filming Mel Gibson’s “The Resurrection of the Christ”, also attended.

The forum wasn’t just another conference — it was designed as a working summit. Participants broke into small groups to tackle specific challenges, such as:

• How to use AI for Catholic education and catechesis
• Whether the Church should develop a “Catholic Turing Test” to identify consciousness in advanced AI systems
• How to design scalable AI tools for digital evangelization

Building and Scaling Catholic AI

One of the most active workshops was “Building and Scaling Catholic AI”, which focused on how artificial intelligence could spread the Gospel more effectively.

“There are billions of people who do not yet know Christ,” said Matthew Sanders, a Catholic AI developer and co-organizer of the event. “If the Church’s guiding hand is not there, this technology could do unimaginable harm.”

Sanders explained that the challenge of AI evangelization is twofold — ensuring truth in Catholic messaging while maintaining a human, pastoral touch.

“We’re leveraging AI to share the faith,” he said. “But there’s more to Catholicism than doctrine. It’s also about empathy, community, and lived experience.”

From Digital Faith to Real-World Community

A recurring topic was how to transition people from digital encounters to real-life parish involvement.

Sanders noted that many people first experience Catholicism through apps like Hallow or Magisterium AI, but some struggle to find community afterward.

“The question is how to ‘off-ramp’ people from AI products into living faith communities,” Sanders said. “The goal is to help them find a worship style or tradition that resonates — whether that’s Eucharistic adoration, a charismatic Mass, or the Latin liturgy.”

This, he said, is where AI evangelization can go beyond information — it can act as a bridge between technology and the human spirit.

AI and Catholic Storytelling in Media

Another workshop, “AI for Faithful Christian Storytelling in Media,” explored how artificial intelligence could amplify Catholic narratives globally.

Eike Petersen of Aid to the Church in Need noted that the Church already has countless inspiring stories, but many go unseen. “There’s so much good work happening, especially in regions where Christians face persecution,” Petersen said. “AI could help us bring visibility and solidarity on a larger scale.”

He emphasized the need for AI tools that help creators reach global audiences while maintaining the integrity and truth of their storytelling — a vital part of AI evangelization.

A New Era for Faith and Technology

The Pope Leo XIV AI evangelization message signals a major step in how the Catholic Church views technology — not as a threat, but as a tool for transformation.

By calling on Catholic technologists to use AI for moral and spiritual good, the pope is shaping the Church’s digital future around collaboration, compassion, and creativity.

As AI continues to influence how people seek meaning online, this initiative underscores one of the Church’s central missions: ensuring that technology serves humanity — not the other way around.

Key Takeaway

The Pope Leo XIV AI evangelization message is more than a statement — it’s a blueprint for how faith and technology can coexist.

Through AI-driven education, storytelling, and innovation, the Church is taking its mission digital, reminding technologists that evangelization in the 21st century begins not just in pulpits, but in algorithms, code, and creativity.