Pope Léon XIV released his first encyclical on Monday, warning that artificial intelligence poses significant risks to the future of humanity [1].
The document, titled "Magnifica Humanitas," signals a shift in the Vatican's approach to emerging technology by calling for a global ethical framework to restrain AI development [2].
In the encyclical, the pope argues that AI must be "disarmed" or kept under strict ethical control to ensure it serves humanity rather than power [3]. He said that without such boundaries, the technology could lead to dehumanizing dynamics and the emergence of new forms of slavery [2].
The pontiff specifically highlighted the danger of AI contributing to endless war and the spread of disinformation [1]. These threats, he said, jeopardize human dignity and the stability of global society [2].
By urging the international community to prioritize ethics over technical capability, the pope seeks to prevent a future where human agency is superseded by algorithmic control [3]. The text emphasizes that the development of AI should be governed by principles that protect the most vulnerable populations from exploitation [2].
This is the first time the current pontiff has addressed the intersection of faith and machine learning in a formal encyclical [3]. The call for a global regulatory response reflects growing concerns among religious and civic leaders regarding the pace of AI integration into governance and warfare [1].
“AI must be "disarmed" or kept under strict ethical control.”
This encyclical positions the Catholic Church as a moral critic of unregulated AI, moving beyond general caution to advocate for a specific 'disarming' of the technology. By framing AI risks as threats to human dignity and potential tools for slavery, the Vatican is attempting to influence international policy and push for a legally binding ethical framework that prioritizes human rights over corporate or state power.
