Vatican faces ongoing battle against false AI videos of Pope

Fake videos featuring Pope Leo XIV have gone viral, creating confusion as they spread across platforms like YouTube, leaving the Vatican scrambling to stop the disinformation.

The Vatican is confronting a fast-growing crisis involving hundreds of artificial intelligence-generated videos that present Pope Leo XIV making fabricated statements and appearances online, CNA reported.

Since the beginning of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate earlier this year, the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication has been working to report, remove, and warn about deepfake content falsely representing the pope. These realistic videos and images often show the pontiff speaking on controversial or unlikely subjects, such as American political figures, conspiracy theories, or personal decisions he never actually made.

The spread of these videos has proven difficult to contain. According to the Vatican’s press office, hundreds of fraudulent YouTube accounts have been discovered and reported, yet new ones continue to emerge just as quickly as others are taken down. Many of the videos are advanced enough to make it hard for viewers to determine whether they are real or fake.

Growing List of Topics in Faked Videos

The manipulated content is remarkably varied in subject matter. Some of the deepfakes depict Pope Leo XIV discussing sensitive or polarizing issues, including alleged remarks about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, former president Donald Trump, end-times prophecies, and cremation. These statements were never made by the pope.

In one instance, a deepfake claimed Pope Leo XIV commented on the supposed murder of Charlie Kirk. Although Kirk is alive, the video still amassed more than 445,000 views in just one week, showing how quickly misinformation can spread before platforms even respond.

Another viral video posted in May—shortly after the pope’s election—falsely portrayed him giving a 36-minute address in support of Burkina Faso’s political leader and denouncing colonialism. That clip racked up at least 1 million views before YouTube removed the offending account.

Realistic Fakes Prompt Genuine Concern

The damaging impact of these AI-generated materials goes beyond false quotes. In June, realistic-looking photos circulated online, showing Pope Leo XIV apparently falling down the steps at St. Peter's Basilica, sparking concern among some viewers. The images were later proven to be fake following an investigation by a fact-checking website.

The realism of these doctored videos and images has made the Vatican’s job significantly harder. A search for “Pope Leo” on YouTube shows dozens of manipulated videos—some so believable that they show the pope discussing doctrines like the Eucharist, while others make false declarations such as his alleged resignation from the papacy.

Recognizing this challenge, the Dicastery for Communication noted in an August newsletter that it receives tens of new reports each day regarding deepfake uses of Pope Leo’s image and voice. They emphasized that artificial intelligence is being used in increasingly advanced ways to create speech and portrayals that never occurred.

Vatican Stresses Media Literacy and Verification

The Dicastery has openly expressed concern about the pace and volume of misinformation. A spokesperson remarked that they are seeing a “proliferation” of similar YouTube channels producing false statements, using either the pope’s voice or those of his translators, all generated artificially.

“Much of our time is spent reporting, silencing, and requesting the removal of these accounts,” the August newsletter stated. It added that the sheer volume makes it impossible to challenge each instance of misinformation publicly, especially as the content rapidly evolves.

To counter deepfakes more effectively, the Vatican is also encouraging followers to strengthen their media literacy skills. Officials recommend verifying quotes through the official papal website, papal. VA, and issued a plain reminder: “If it is not there, it is most probably a fake.”

Pope Responds Lightly Amid Serious Challenges

Despite the seriousness of the issue, Pope Leo XIV responded with humor when asked in an interview about the AI-generated photos of him falling down stairs. “So good that they thought it was me,” he told journalist Elise Ann Allen, acknowledging the realism of the generated images.

Though false representations of popes are not new, the scale and sophistication of recent videos mark a turning point. In past years, similar fabrications included a 2015 manipulated video of Pope Francis shared by a celebrity and an AI-generated image of Francis in a puffer coat that went viral during 2023.

What sets the current situation apart is the speed and reach of the technology. With AI tools becoming more accessible and convincing, authorities at the Vatican are increasingly focused on defending both the integrity of the papacy and the public’s ability to discern truth from manipulation.