Pope Leo XIV has hailed the work of news agencies as a bulwark in an increasingly “post-truth” world, and warned of the dangers of relying on artificial intelligence for information, AFP reports.

He also paid tribute to the journalists killed while working, calling them “victims of war and of the ideology of war, which seeks to prevent journalists from being there at all”.

“We must not forget them! If today we know what is happening in Gaza, Ukraine, and every other land bloodied by bombs, we largely owe it to them,” he said.

Pope Leo urged citizens to “value and support professionals and agencies that demonstrate seriousness and true freedom in their work”.

“Free access to information is a pillar that upholds the edifice of our societies, and for this reason, we are called to defend and guarantee it,” he said.