Pope Leo offers tips to reporters and talks about the difficulty of AI in initial press briefing

Pope Leo XIV  wrapped up his first meeting with Vatican-accredited journalists Monday morning.

More than 1,000 members of the media were assembled to hear his remarks, according to the New York Times. Some of them even took their children.

The event occurred in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican, as reported by Vatican Media. During this gathering, the pope thanked the journalists in Italian for their dedicated work during these intense weeks.

“Let’s remove from communication all biases, resentments, fanaticism, and even hatred,” the pope shared with the group of reporters. “By disarming our words, we can contribute to disarming the world.”

Pope Leo XIV prays over members of the international media in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican on May 12, 2025.  (Domenico Stinellis)

“The church recognizes in these witnesses — I am thinking of those who report on war even at the cost of their lives — the courage of those who defend dignity, justice and the right of people to be informed, because only informed individuals can make free choices,” he said.

The pontiff also told the journalists they must act responsibly in using artificial intelligence in their work, asking them to “ensure that it can be used for the good of all, so that it can benefit all of humanity.”

A large number of international journalist met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday, May 12, 2025. (Domenico Stinellis)

The pope spoke mainly in Italian, but opened with a joke in English about the standing ovation he received.

“Thank you for this wonderful reception,” he said. “They say that when they clap at the beginning, it doesn’t matter much. If you’re still awake at the end and still want to applaud, thank you very much.”

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. 

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