Pope Leo XIV issued a manifesto on Monday calling for the "disarming" or slowing down of artificial intelligence to protect humanity [1, 2, 3, 4].
The move signals a high-level moral intervention into the global tech race, suggesting that the pace of innovation may be outstripping the ability of governments to protect human dignity.
Writing from the Vatican, the Pope warned that unchecked AI development could create new forms of slavery and result in massive job losses [2, 5, 6]. He urged governments and religious leaders to intervene to mitigate these threats to humanity [2, 6].
"We must call for the disarming of artificial intelligence and warn of new forms of slavery behind its rise," the Pope said [2].
The manifesto emphasizes that the current trajectory of technology requires a coordinated global response. The Pope specifically called for a reduction in the speed of deployment to ensure safety, and ethical alignment [3].
"Governments must slow down the development of artificial intelligence systems," the Pope said [3].
In addition to the written manifesto, the Pope indicated a willingness to collaborate with industry figures to find a sustainable path forward. He mentioned an invitation from Olah of Anthropic to engage in a dialogue about the future of the technology [1, 5].
"I have accepted Olah's invitation 'to walk together, to listen and to speak and together to find the way for humanity'," the Pope said [1].
While some reports highlight the term "disarming" to describe the necessary slowdown, other accounts describe the document as a sweeping manifesto focused on safeguarding humanity in the AI era [2, 4].
“"We must call for the disarming of artificial intelligence and warn of new forms of slavery behind its rise."”
The Vatican's intervention adds a significant moral and diplomatic layer to the existing debate over AI regulation. By framing the issue as a matter of human slavery and dignity rather than just technical safety, Pope Leo XIV is attempting to mobilize a global coalition of religious and political leaders to pressure tech companies and governments into adopting a more cautious approach to deployment.
