Pope Leo XIV indicated on Saturday that his papacy will follow closely in the footsteps of the late Pope Francis, telling church cardinals that they should take up that “precious legacy” and identifying artificial intelligence as a main challenge for working people and “human dignity.

In his first formal audience in the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday laid out his vision for his papacy, identifying artificial intelligence as one of the most critical matters facing humanity.

Catholics around the world were skeptical at first about an American pope. But Pope Leo XIV’s multicultural and multilingual identity has put them at ease.

Francis may have been globally admired, but within the church hierarchy he was a polarizing figure. This could have resulted in a drawn-out voting process as diverse groups within the electorate struggle to find common ground.