Pope Leo XIV urged world and industry leaders to slow the development of artificial intelligence and implement strong regulation in a new encyclical [1].
The call for caution comes as AI capabilities rapidly expand, raising concerns that unchecked growth could fuel global conflict and concentrate wealth in the hands of a few. The Vatican's stance positions the Catholic Church as a moral critic of the current pace of technological acceleration.
Released on May 25, 2026 [2], the encyclical titled “Magnifica Humanitas” warns that AI could be used to spread misinformation and exacerbate social inequality [3]. The document argues that the concentration of power and wealth enabled by these technologies is an "enormous sin," Andrew West of the ABC News Religion and Ethics Report said [4].
A central focus of the encyclical is the danger of autonomous weaponry. Pope Leo XIV said that it is not permissible to entrust irreversible, lethal decisions to AI systems [5]. He said that delegating the decision to kill to a machine is morally impermissible, a move that could lead to unending war [3].
Beyond military concerns, the Pope addressed the spiritual and social risks of the digital age. He described AI as "yet another Tower of Babel" [4]. This comparison suggests that the pursuit of technological omnipotence may lead to human fragmentation rather than unity.
The Vatican is calling for a global framework to ensure that AI serves humanity rather than dominating it [1]. The Pope said that without a moral compass, the drive for efficiency and profit will override the fundamental dignity of the human person [3].
“"It is not permissible to entrust irreversible, lethal decisions to AI systems."”
By framing AI development through the lens of sin and moral impermissibility, the Vatican is attempting to move the AI debate beyond technical safety and into the realm of global ethics. This intervention seeks to pressure international regulators to treat lethal autonomous weapons not just as a security risk, but as a fundamental violation of human dignity.
