As someone who has spent years watching the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, I found the election of Pope Leo XIV — born Robert Francis Prevost and the first American-born Pope — deeply moving. In a world racing to build ever-smarter machines, his arrival feels like a timely reminder that we must also nurture our moral compass. Known for his openness to science and social dialogue, Pope Leo XIV brings a sense of calm wisdom to a fast-changing era. He inherits a powerful legacy from Pope Francis, whose early efforts to introduce ethics into the AI conversation now find a renewed champion in his successor. Critics often worry that religious voices may slow innovation, but both Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV reject that view.