Topline
Pope Leo XIV issued his first encyclical, a papal open letter, on Monday, outlining his vision for safeguarding humanity from the emergence of artificial intelligence and its potentially disruptive effects, calling on governments to regulate the technology and protect workers who may be impacted.
Pope Leo XIV attends the presentation of his first Encyclical Letter “Magnifica Humanitas” focused on the rise of artificial intelligence, in The Vatican.
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
The pope issued the 83-page-long encyclical titled “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity) alongside Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah and other catholic leaders.
The manifesto noted that while technology relieving humans of “arduous, repetitive or dangerous tasks” and providing “intelligent support” was desirable, the “pursuit of greater profits” must not lead to choices that “systematically sacrifice jobs.”
The encyclical noted that the use of AI is not a “purely technical matter’ since there is a risk of important decisions like “employment, credit, access to public services or even a person’s reputation” that may get delegated to automated systems that lack “compassion.”
The pope’s letter noted that companies invoking ethics “in the abstract” was inadequate and “independent oversight, informed users and a political system that does not abdicate its responsibility,” were necessary to address issues emerging from AI.
The letter warned that in the absence of such regulation “those who control data, infrastructure and computing power” will ultimately end up imposing the rules.
The declaration also said that every introduction of automation and AI should be accompanied by “verifiable measures to protect the employment, retraining and participation of workers.”
Co-founder of US artificial intelligence (AI) company Anthropic, Christopher Olah, attends the presentation of Pope Leo XIV first Encyclical Letter “Magnifica Humanitas.”
AFP via Getty Images
What Else Did The Encyclical Say About Wealth And The Economy?
The encyclical noted that while global wealth has grown in “absolute terms,” it is “increasingly concentrated” in the hands of fewer people. “More than ever, in the age of AI and robotics, it is no longer possible to rely solely on the ‘invisible hand’ of the market,” the letter said while noting that “just laws and methods of redistribution are certainly necessary for correcting imbalances including tax systems that lighten the burden on the weakest and ask for more from those with greater resources.”
What Did The Manifesto Say About Ai Generated Disinformation?
In reference to social media platforms, the encyclical warns that tools that could foster dialogue are being used to “construct distorted narratives” and blur lines “between truth and falsehood.” While noting that disinformation existed before AI, the manifesto states that artificial intelligence has become a “powerful amplifier” of it. “The ability to manipulate content, images and videos exposes people to biased or misleading perspectives,” the letter adds. The papal declaration also notes that while technological tools should neither be demonized nor idolized, they must adhere to the fundamental principle that “truth is a common good and not the property of those with power or influence.”
What Did The Encyclical Say About Use Of Ai In War?
The pope’s declaration also noted the impact of easy deployment of autonomous weapons systems and how they can make “war more ‘feasible’ and less subject to human control.” Calling for the “most rigorous ethical constraints” on the use of AI in conflict, the encyclical says: “No algorithm can make war morally acceptable. AI does not remove the intrinsic inhumanity of conflict; indeed it can only bring about conflict more quickly and render it more impersonal, lowering the threshold for resorting to violence, transforming defense into threat prediction and thus reducing victims to data.” The letter adds that the use of lethal force cannot be “delegated to opaque or automated processes” and must always remain under “effective, self-aware and responsible human control.” The pope also calls for establishing a shared framework to curb the technological arms race.
Pope’s Warnings About Ai’s Environmental Impact
While highlighting the various risks associated with rapid adoption of AI the pope’s letter mentions the “tendency to overlook the environmental impact.” It points out that current AI systems “require enormous amounts of energy and water, significantly influencing carbon dioxide emissions, and place heavy demands on natural resources.” The statement adds that this is likely to increase as the complexity of AI systems grows along with their compute needs. “For this reason, it is essential to develop more sustainable technological solutions that reduce environmental impact and help protect our common home.”
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2026/05/25/pope-leo-calls-for-ai-regulation-and-protecting-the-dignity-of-workers-in-first-encyclical/
