Pope Urges Schools to Put People Before AI
Students and educators weighing AI in learning may see the pope's call for human dignity shape classroom debates.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Language Learning
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Pope Leo XIV urged schools and universities to put the person before the algorithm in education about artificial intelligence, speaking at the Catholic University of Uruguay in Montevideo at the start of an 11-day visit to South America that also includes Argentina and Peru.
Why it matters
The remarks frame AI in education as a question of human dignity rather than only efficiency, a stance that may shape how schools and universities weigh technology in their classrooms. The speech came as the pope began a multi-country trip that puts education and technology on an international stage.
The speech was delivered at the start of an 11-day South America visit that includes Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. The pope cited his Apostolic Letter, Drawing New Maps of Hope, issued in October 2025.
The players
Pope Leo XIV
The head of the Catholic Church, whose remarks addressed how schools and universities should approach artificial intelligence in education.
Catholic University of Uruguay
A Catholic university in Montevideo, Uruguay, where the pope delivered his remarks to the education community.
The details
Pope Leo XIV spoke during a meeting with the education community at the Catholic University of Uruguay in Montevideo. He said the process of dehumanisation poses a challenge to schools and universities and urged educators to place the person ahead of the algorithm. He quoted St Paul's Letter to the Romans and referred back to his October 2025 Apostolic Letter as the framework for his remarks.
Timeline
October 2025: Apostolic Letter, Drawing New Maps of Hope, was issued.
November 7, 2026: The speech at the Catholic University of Uruguay was delivered as the 11-day South America visit began.
Education Landscape
The pope's remarks extend a Vatican framework issued in October 2025 into the field of higher education and AI. They add a moral voice to a broader global debate about how technology should be used in schools and universities.
Students and educators at Catholic institutions may see increased discussion of how AI tools fit within a human-centered approach to learning. Anyone weighing AI-related coursework or tools should ask their school how it evaluates these technologies.
The takeaway
The central insight is that the pope framed AI in education as a question of human dignity, not only efficiency. Students and families can ask their schools how they weigh AI tools against the goal of keeping the person at the center of learning.
Further reading
For broader context on how technology is reshaping classrooms worldwide, explore our Language Learning coverage.
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