Pope Leo XIV has called for robust regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) and urged developers to focus on the common good rather than profit. His manifesto emphasizes safeguarding humanity in the face of AI’s impact on work and warfare.
In his first encyclical, titled “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnificent Humanity”), Pope Leo XIV criticized the “culture of power” in the AI race. He expressed concern over advanced remote warfare methods and stated it was “not permissible” for AI systems to make lethal decisions, setting up a potential conflict with the Trump administration’s AI deregulation efforts.
Pope Leo XIV remarked, “Artificial Intelligence now demands to be disarmed, freed from logics that turn it into an instrument of domination, exclusion and death.”
The encyclical is seen as a benchmark in the ongoing AI debate. Experts in technology and Catholic morality recognize it as a crucial point of reference for policymakers and researchers.
Taylor Black, an AI executive at Microsoft, highlighted its significance: “It poses questions about the meaning of humanity, given the advancements of these tools.”
In his presentation, Pope Leo XIV addressed concerns over the concentration of power and data within tech firms, advocating for external regulation and informed users to ensure a fair and ethical AI environment.
He stated, “A more moral AI is not enough if that morality is determined by a few.”
The co-founder of Anthropic, Christopher Olah, supported the Pope’s call for external checks on AI, emphasizing the stakes involved with potential large-scale job displacement due to AI advancements.
During the document’s launch, Olah echoed the need for global engagement: “We need more of the world to push events in a better direction. We need critics to tell us when we fail, and moral voices that incentives cannot bend.”
Pope Leo XIV also applied the Catholic Church’s core social teachings to the digital age. Key concepts like justice, solidarity, and the dignity of work were connected to the impacts of digital technology.
Paolo Carozza, a law professor at Notre Dame, commented, “Pope Leo’s encyclical is clear and comprehensive, urging us to make technology serve rather than degrade humans.”
The encyclical criticized AI’s role in “normalization of war,” desensitizing people to conflict costs. Pope Leo XIV advocated for transparency in weaponized AI, challenging the Catholic Church’s “just war” theory in light of technological advancements.
On May 15, the Pope signed the text, aligning it with the 135th anniversary of “Rerum Novarum” (Of New Things), Leo XIII’s document addressing workers’ rights. Leo XIV, referring to AI’s societal impact, sees it as posing similar questions as the Industrial Revolution.
“The pursuit of greater profits cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs, because the human person is an end, not a means,” Pope Leo XIV declared.
The Pope also issued a papal apology for the Church’s past role in legitimizing slavery, reflecting his commitment to human dignity in labor.
For over a decade, the Vatican has engaged in dialogue with Silicon Valley to address AI’s human cost. The decision to involve Anthropic was viewed by some as an endorsement. Still, Brian Boyd of the Future of Life Institute considered it a recognition of the company’s influence and responsibility in the AI landscape.