Pope Leo XIV has released the first major teaching document of his papacy, sending a strong warning to the world that artificial intelligence must be “disarmed” before it causes deeper harm to society.
He acknowledged the weight of his words. “The word is strong, I know, but deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention,” he said. The document is an encyclical, traditionally written for Catholic bishops. But in modern times, it has become a message aimed far beyond the Church, speaking to governments, companies, and ordinary people around the world.
What Is Magnifica Humanitas
This latest encyclical is titled “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnificent Humanity”), and the focus is on Artificial Intelligence. The document is huge, running about 42,300 words in English.
He presented the document at the Vatican alongside Christopher Olah, co-founder of the AI company Anthropic, with the message focused on protecting human dignity and human control in a world where machines are rapidly taking over jobs and decision-making.
‘Technology is not an enemy but…’
The pope made it clear that he is not against technology itself. He wrote, “technology should not be considered, in itself, as a force antagonistic to humanity.” But he also warned about how it is used, adding, “The pursuit of greater profits cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs.”
At one point, Pope Leo turned directly to developers and engineers, with a “special appeal.” He said, “Developers bear a particular ethical and spiritual responsibility, for every design choice reflects a vision of humanity,” he said. According to him, those building AI are not just making tools, they are shaping the future of human life.
He suggested that just as slavery was once normalised, society could now be heading toward what “new digital slaveries,” where people are again reduced to tools for systems they do not control.
In the encyclical, Pope Leo called for several urgent steps:
- Governments should regulate private AI companies
- Workers should be protected and retrained if their jobs are at risk
- Schools should teach students how to think critically about AI
- Children must be protected from harmful, violent, or fake AI-generated content
- Humans, not machines, must always remain in control of weapons and military decisions
He stressed that human beings must always remain central in society. He warned, “A society that guarantees employment to only a small fraction of the population, despite having a high level of technical development, risks exposing many to forced inactivity.”
He added that this creates “a paradox of material progress and anthropological regression that undermines the foundations of a just and stable social peace.”
The pope had already been raising concerns about artificial intelligence soon after becoming the leader of the Catholic Church. On his second day as pope, he told cardinals that the Church would address AI risks to “human dignity, justice and labour.”
Strong warning on war and weapons
A major part of the encyclical focuses on war and military use of AI. Pope Leo strongly condemned the idea of AI-controlled weapons and warned that reducing human control makes war more dangerous and easier to start. “No algorithm can make war morally acceptable.”
He added that AI does not remove the “intrinsic inhumanity” of war. Instead, it could make conflict faster and more distant, lowering the human barrier to violence by turning decisions into data and predictions.
The pope also warned about AI being used in politics, especially in creating fake or manipulated images and videos. He said this can mislead people and distort reality, leaving societies more divided and confused.
A message delivered in the Vatican
At the Vatican event, Pope Leo said his views came from discussions with scientists, engineers, and political leaders. Speaking about his collaboration with Christopher Olah, he said they would continue working “to find a way for humanity in this time of artificial intelligence.”
He also said, “What a great sign of hope it is that in our differences we can listen to one another.” Olah, who is not Catholic, welcomed the pope’s effort. He said companies like his face pressures that can push them away from doing what is right.
“We need moral voices that the incentives cannot bend,” he said. He added, “Today is just the beginning — the start of a long collaboration between those of us who are building this and those who can see what we, from the inside, cannot.”
The event included theologians, Vatican officials, diplomats, journalists, and scientists, including the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch.