Pope Leo XIV issued a manifesto calling for robust regulation of artificial intelligence and warning that machines must never decide matters of life or death.

The move signals a formal effort by the Catholic Church to prevent a small group of powerful interests from controlling AI technology. By framing the issue as a moral imperative, the Vatican seeks to ensure that technological advancement serves the common good rather than corporate profit.

The encyclical, titled "Magnifica Humanitas," was released on May 25, 2026 [1]. While some reports indicate the document was signed as early as May 15, 2026 [2], the official presentation took place at the Vatican in St. Peter's Basilica. The Pope also referenced these warnings during a speech in Cameroon as part of his African tour.

"Artificial intelligence must never be allowed to decide matters of life and death," Pope Leo XIV wrote in his encyclical [3]. He emphasized that the development of these tools must be guided by ethics to avoid creating a digital divide that marginalizes the poor.

During the presentation of the document, the Pope compared the current trajectory of AI development to a biblical cautionary tale. "We are facing a new Tower of Babel if AI is left in the hands of a few," the Pope said [4].

This directive arrives as the Church reflects on its history of addressing industrial and social shifts. The current manifesto follows the legacy of Rerum Novarum, which was issued by Pope Leo XIII 135 years ago [2]. The new text urges a similar moral intervention for the digital age.

"Developers must work for the common good, not for profit," the Pope said in his manifesto [3]. He called for international cooperation to establish guardrails that protect human dignity, and prevent the automation of lethal decision-making.

“"Artificial intelligence must never be allowed to decide matters of life and death,"”

The issuance of Magnifica Humanitas positions the Vatican as a global moral arbiter in the AI debate, shifting the conversation from technical safety to fundamental human rights. By invoking the legacy of Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIV is attempting to categorize AI not merely as a tool, but as a systemic social shift that requires a global regulatory framework to prevent the concentration of power and the erosion of human agency in critical life-and-death scenarios.