Pope Leo XIV created a Vatican commission to study artificial intelligence and released his first encyclical addressing the ethics of the technology [1].

The move signals the Catholic Church's intention to establish a moral framework for AI development to ensure the technology respects human dignity. By framing the issue as a matter of human rights and ethics, the Vatican seeks to influence global governance of AI and prevent the concentration of power among a few tech entities [2, 6].

The Vatican commission on artificial intelligence was officially created on May 16, 2026 [1]. This study group is tasked with analyzing the societal impacts of automation and algorithmic decision-making. The commission's work coincides with the release of the Pope's first encyclical, titled "Magnifica Humanitas," which was issued in May 2026 [6].

In the encyclical, Pope Leo XIV expressed concern that the rapid advancement of AI could lead to a loss of human agency. He said that artificial intelligence could be a "new Tower of Babel" that threatens to normalize an anti-human vision [6]. The text emphasizes that technology should serve humanity rather than dictate the terms of human existence.

The Pope said that the development of these tools must be guided by an ethics-based approach [2]. He cautioned against a future where AI is used to marginalize the vulnerable or erode the intrinsic value of human life. The Vatican's stance focuses on the risk of treating human beings as data points, rather than individuals with spiritual and moral worth [2, 6].

This initiative marks a significant step in the Vatican's engagement with modern science. The new commission is expected to collaborate with international experts to determine how religious and ethical principles can be integrated into the coding and deployment of AI systems [3, 5].

“Artificial intelligence could be a "new Tower of Babel" that threatens to normalize an anti‑human vision.”

The Vatican is positioning itself as a moral arbiter in the global AI race. By linking AI risks to the biblical Tower of Babel, Pope Leo XIV is framing the technological pursuit of total knowledge or control as a form of hubris. This move pressures international regulators to consider 'human-centric' AI that prioritizes dignity over efficiency and profit.