The Pope has greeted crowds as he was driven around the streets of Paris in his popemobile.

Pope Leo XIV has begun a four-day visit to France - the first official trip by a pontiff to the country in 18 years, where he warned about the risks of artificial intelligence.

He was driven from the Paris headquarters ​of the ‌UN culture and education body ​UNESCO, where he gave a speech, to the restored Notre-Dame cathedral, which was nearly destroyed in a 2019 fire.

The Pope led a prayer service at the Gothic masterpiece.

At UNESCO, the pontiff - without naming individuals - hit out at world leaders who ‌disrespect the rule of law.

He said: "Instead of respecting the law, those in ​power invoke ⁠it when it ⁠serves their interests and disregard it ‌when it restrains them, treating even justice itself ‌as though it were a commodity to be bought and sold."

Earlier on Friday, the first US pope urged the world to reconsider the development of AI, warning it could create a future where "a paradise of machines" takes over.

Speaking at the Elysee Palace where dignitaries included President Emmanuel Macron, the 71-year-old said: "If we are to avoid losing our humanity amid a 'paradise of machines' invading and conditioning our daily lives, there is an urgent need for education in ethical discernment."

It comes as a recent series of AI-led hacking incidents prompted warnings from tech bosses about AI safety and increased pressure on Washington and Beijing to coordinate on safety.

Donald Trump, who has declared AI should be called super intelligence, or SI, said in a social media post that he wants "to leave it exactly where it is" and rely on the US Department of Justice rather than impose any new guardrails.

The US president insisted China held the same position. But President Xi Jinping said that, as leading nations on AI, China and the US must manage its growth.

"We have both the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good, and ensure that the development of AI is always under human control and serves the well-being of the people," the Chinese president said.

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The Pope has also called on the world ‌not to become indifferent to the pain caused by "the scourge of ‌war", warning against the proliferation of nuclear weapons and ​urging France to push for peace.

And the pontiff reiterated the Catholic Church's opposition to initiatives allowing assisted dying for those who have incurable illnesses, two months after France approved such a measure.

He did not specifically mention the country's new law, which had been opposed by local Catholic bishops.

But he criticised what he called "profit-driven ventures" such as assisted dying laws.

The new legislation allows, under strict conditions, someone to request a ⁠lethal substance that can be self-administered or administered by a doctor ​or nurse if a person is physically unable to do ​so.

There is ‌broad public support for the assisted dying measure in France, with backers saying it gives people facing incurable illnesses and unbearable suffering at the end of their lives more autonomy over how they die.

During his trip, he will also visit the Catholic shrine at Lourdes and the city of Metz on the German border.

(c) Sky News 2026: Pope greets Paris crowds in popemobile as he warns of AI risks