Pope Francis Tells 100 Comedians At The Vatican: ‘It’s OK To Laugh At God’

Pope Francis welcomed over 100 comedians to the Vatican on Friday before flying to southern Italy to warn the Group of Seven world leaders that artificial intelligence should never be allowed to outpace human dignity.

The comedians from 15 countries, including U.S. stars like Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon and Chris Rock, received an enthusiastic reception from the pontiff, who said their ability to provoke smiles and laughter is a powerful force for peace and unity.

“In the midst of so much gloomy news…you have the power to spread peace and smiles,” Francis told them. “Laughter is contagious.”

In the biblical story of creation, he noted, “Divine wisdom practiced your art for the benefit of none other than God himself.” The pope instructed the comedians to “make God smile” whenever they provoke intelligent smiles from others.

Among his most surprising messages was telling the comedians, “It’s ok to laugh at God!”

Following the lighthearted audience, Francis swiftly transitioned to heavy issues during the first-ever papal address to a G7 summit. He implored leaders of the world’s wealthiest democracies to ensure artificial intelligence remains firmly under human control.

“No machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being,” Francis warned the heads of state and government. “We would condemn humanity to a future without hope if we took away people’s ability to make decisions about themselves and their lives by dooming them to depend on the choices of machines.”

The 87-year-old arrived at the summit site in a wheelchair due to mobility struggles from his advanced age and knee problems. But he moved swiftly around the G7 leaders’ substantial oval table, embracing them warmly.

Pope Francis said AI represents an “epochal transformation” that requires rigorous ethical oversight to safeguard human existence and dignity. He cautioned that if algorithms become too powerful, “we would lose something precious: the ability to know, and decide, who we are.”

Pope Francis recently caused controversy by using a derogatory term for gays in two speeches.