Pope Leo calls for being ‘profoundly human’ in the age of AI
Pope Leo XIV has released his first encyclical, 'Magnifica Humanitas,' which addresses the ethical and social risks posed by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. The document calls for new legal frameworks to protect human dignity against threats like AI-driven warfare and labor displacement.
Why it matters
As a major global moral authority, the Pope's intervention signals a growing institutional push to regulate AI development through an ethical and human-centric lens.
Pope Leo XIV attends the presentation of his first Encyclical Letter "Magnifica humanitas" on May 25, 2026 in Vatican City, Vatican. | Getty Images Pope Leo XIV warned of the risks of AI and unconstrained technological power in his first major papal document released on Monday. Magnifica Humanitas is the pope's manifesto on "safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence," in which he discusses the dangers of AI-powered warfare, the effects of AI on labor, and the need for new legal and ethical frameworks to govern technology. In his papal encyclical - a kind of open letter from the Catholic Church - Pope Leo stressed the economic and social upheaval that rapid AI adoption is creating, with inadequate protections for individuals that threaten human dignity. He com … Read the full story at The Verge.
The article reports on a public document release without injecting partisan opinion or loaded language.
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