VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV laid out the vision of his papacy Saturday, identifying artificial intelligence as one of the most critical matters facing humanity.

In his first formal audience, Leo made clear he will follow in the modernising reforms of Pope Francis to make the Catholic Church inclusive, attentive to the faithful and a church that looks out for the “least and rejected.”

Citing Francis repeatedly, he told the cardinals who elected him that he was fully committed to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the 1960s meetings that modernised the church.

He identified artificial intelligence as one of the main issues facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labour.