Pope's AI Advisor Warns AI More Damaging to Children Than Cocaine

Pope Leo’s AI advisor, moral theologian Paolo Benanti, has warned that artificial intelligence poses a developmental threat to children and young adults comparable to, or exceeding, substance addiction. Speaking on the BBC Newsnight, Benanti, a Franciscan friar and member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, described generative AI as a super manipulation tool capable of inducing profound emotional conditioning in vulnerable minds. He urged regulators to implement protective frameworks, comparing necessary safeguards to mandatory helmets for scooter riders, and advocated for a brain helmet to shield youth from algorithmic influence. Benanti emphasized the structural power imbalance between tech developers and users, arguing that democratic stability depends on preserving independent critical thinking. His warnings align with recent industry calls from figures such as Elon Musk and OpenAI Sam Altman, who have endorsed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei proposal for third-party safety evaluations and slowed development cycles. Benanti stressed that moral guidance from the Vatican must be supplemented by binding international treaties to ensure AI serves public interest rather than concentrated corporate control. The advisory concerns echo broader empirical and survey data highlighting AI cognitive and behavioral effects. A July Deloitte study of 1,150 parents revealed that 50 percent fear excessive reliance on generative AI among students, while nearly 30 percent report its active use in academic work. Independent research further suggests deteriorating analytical capacity: an MIT analysis found students using AI for essay composition performed progressively worse than peers using traditional search tools, and a Harvard Business Review study documented cognitive fatigue, decision-making delays, and physical symptoms among professionals managing multiple AI systems. These findings reinforce the ethical framework outlined in Pope Leo recent encyclical, Magnifica humanitas, which warns against the monopolization of AI capabilities and demands technology that is accessible, transparent, and human-centric. By integrating academic research with diplomatic outreach, the Vatican is positioning itself as a central voice in global AI governance, emphasizing that technological advancement must be governed by safeguards that prioritize psychological development and democratic resilience over unchecked innovation.