An article summarized by the Associated Press:
Pope Leo XIV used his first major teaching document, “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnificent Humanity”), to argue that artificial intelligence is one of humanity’s greatest challenges and must be regulated for the common good rather than driven by profit or power. The pope criticized the growing concentration of AI power in a handful of companies and warned against allowing technology to shape society without legal oversight, accountability, and ethical reflection. He called on developers and governments to slow down, prioritize human dignity, and ensure AI serves people instead of economic or political interests.
A major focus of the encyclical was AI’s role in warfare and labor. Leo strongly condemned the use of AI in military decision-making, declaring it unacceptable to hand irreversible lethal choices to machines and warning that AI is helping normalize war by distancing people from its human cost. He also raised concerns about AI replacing jobs, arguing that profit cannot justify sacrificing workers or human flourishing. Drawing parallels to the Industrial Revolution, he framed today’s AI revolution as a defining moral and social challenge similar to the one addressed by past Catholic social teaching.
The document is already being viewed by experts as a potential landmark in the global AI debate. Vatican officials, tech leaders, academics, and ethicists said it could become a key reference point for policymakers and researchers grappling with AI’s future. Despite hosting Anthropic executives at the Vatican launch, Leo sharply criticized unchecked corporate influence and pushed for independent oversight, transparency, and broader public involvement in shaping AI’s development. He also tied the encyclical to the church’s long tradition of social justice teaching, even issuing a historic apology for the Vatican’s past role in legitimizing slavery.
