In a sweeping 42,300-word encyclical titled Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo XIV has thrust the Vatican into the center of the global AI debate, urging leaders to ensure artificial intelligence serves humanity rather than concentrating power or eroding dignity.
Released May 25, the document warns against job displacement, misinformation, surveillance capitalism, and lethal autonomous weapons while calling for ethical regulation, transparency, and international solidarity.
The encyclical, marking the 135th anniversary of Rerum Novarum, has drawn praise from some AI executives like Anthropic’s co-founder but sharp criticism from tech advocates and certain U.S. officials who question religious intervention in innovation policy.
It rejects transhumanist visions and emphasizes protecting the “digital ecosystem” for future generations.
Analysts say the intervention arrives at a pivotal moment as AI data centers proliferate and governments grapple with regulation.
The Pope’s call for dialogue between spiritual and technological leaders has sparked widespread discussion on platforms and in boardrooms alike, highlighting growing societal unease about unchecked technological power.
