*YouTube Removes AI-Generated Channel Falsely Attributing Sermons to Pope Leo XIV* YouTube has shut down a channel that falsely presented AI-generated sermons as messages from Pope Leo XIV. The channel, named "Sermons of Pope Leo XIV," had amassed nearly 18,000 subscribers and close to a million views before its removal on May 21. It featured 26 videos with AI-generated text voiced to sound like the newly elected pope, though none were authentic Vatican statements. Despite YouTube labeling the content as AI-generated, many viewers mistakenly believed the sermons were genuine. The platform took action, citing violations of policies against spam, deception, and scams. Additional channels operated by the same creator were also removed, and YouTube emphasized that attempts to evade bans would be met with further enforcement. The incident highlights the growing challenge of AI-generated misinformation, particularly when deepfakes impersonate religious or authority figures.