In his message for the 2026 World Day of Social Communications, Pope León XIV stresses that the challenge of artificial intelligence is anthropological, not merely technological. He urges higher education institutions in Colombia to develop critical capacities to govern these tools, preventing them from supplanting human thought. This reflection arises amid the rapid integration of AI in universities, posing risks of excessive automation.
Pope León XIV's message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications, issued in 2026, focuses on artificial intelligence and its effects on Colombian higher education. According to the pontiff, "the challenge of artificial intelligence is not technological, but anthropological." As algorithms mimic emotions and decisions, at stake is human dignity, critical thinking, and authentic relationships.
In Colombia, universities are quickly adopting tools such as chatbots, automated evaluation systems, and learning analytics. Yet, a paradox emerges: while technological adoption accelerates, there is no equal urgency in building capacities to understand and question these innovations. The risk is clear: shifting from educating individuals to training users, and from developing judgment to optimizing responses.
The digital divide persists in the country, with uneven critical literacy and financial pressures on the education system favoring technocratic solutions. AI could become a shortcut providing more coverage but less reflection, more automation and less humanity. The Pope warns: "when we delegate thinking, creativity, and ethical judgment to machines, we do not gain time; we lose humanity."
Higher education bears a key responsibility. It must integrate AI literacy, digital ethics, and critical thinking transversally across all programs, not as marginal courses but as core competencies. It is essential that AI complements the pedagogical relationship and teacher guidance, without replacing them. Furthermore, professors need training in both technical skills and ethical judgment regarding technology.
Ultimately, higher education institutions are spaces to safeguard the human face, determining whether technology expands humanity or diminishes it.