(CNN) — Beware of the AI chatbot that becomes more than just a friend, or worse, an emotional crutch. Pope Leo XIV has warned about overly “affectionate” chatbots, urging regulation to prevent humans from forming serious emotional bonds with their AI companions. “As we scroll through our information feeds, it becomes increasingly difficult to understand whether we are interacting with other human beings, bots, or virtual influencers,” Pope Leo wrote on Saturday. In his latest message, the pope called for national governments and international bodies to take action in this area. Leo also called for clear distinctions between content generated by AI versus created by people, including journalists.

Source: CNN January 24, 2026 18:53 UTC