Pope Francis on Thursday expressed concern about an “increasingly concrete threat of world war.” He also warned of the dangers of fake news and artificial intelligence.
At a New Year’s reception for foreign ambassadors in the Vatican, he called on diplomats to engage in dialogue even with difficult interlocutors. “That is the only way to break the chain of hatred and revenge and defuse the artillery of human egoism, pride, and arrogance—the roots of every will to war.”
The Pope, who had his speech read out due to a cold, also hopes to end the war in Ukraine by 2025 and calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Fake news
In addition, the 88-year-old church leader warns of the dangers of the spread of fake news on the internet. Societies are “increasingly polarized”, exacerbated by “the constant creation and spread of false information,” he says. “In our time, denying obvious truths seems to be gaining the upper hand.”
“Fake news not only distorts the facts but also the conscience. It creates a climate of mistrust that fuels hatred, undermines people’s security and endangers civil society and the stability of entire nations,” the Pope said.
The warning continues that belief in false information can be “reinforced by modern means of communication and artificial intelligence” when these techniques are “misused to manipulate people’s consciences. ” The Pope calls for educating young people to be critical thinkers.
The Pope is the head of the Church and the head of state of the Vatican. The smallest state in the world maintains diplomatic relations with 184 countries.