Pope Leo XIV Calls for Ethical Regulation of AI in ‘Magnifica Humanitas’

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV advocates for strong regulations on artificial intelligence. He urges AI developers to prioritize the common good over profits. His first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), addresses the impact of AI on society, from employment to warfare.

Pope Leo emphasized the urgency of disarming AI from becoming a tool of domination and exclusion. He challenged the culture fueled by power in AI development, particularly concerning remote warfare. Leo stated that AI should not make irreversible, lethal decisions, contrasting with the Trump administration’s approach to AI deregulation.

“Artificial Intelligence now demands to be disarmed, freed from logics that turn it into an instrument of domination, exclusion and death,” he proclaimed during the Vatican presentation.

Experts anticipate the encyclical will influence the AI debate. As AI advances, concerns about job displacement and the loss of human intelligence arise. Taylor Black, from Microsoft AI and director at Catholic University, notes the document’s importance in prompting reflections on humanity.

The Vatican event included Anthropic’s co-founder, involved in legal disputes with the Trump administration. Engaging with Silicon Valley, the Vatican addresses AI’s human cost. Leo criticized the private sector’s control over AI data and power, stressing the need for regulation.

“A more moral AI is not enough if that morality is determined by a few,” Leo wrote.

Leo urged developers and politicians to reflect ethically and spiritually on their roles. He called for more stakeholders to seriously evaluate AI’s direction, as highlighted by Anthropic’s Christopher Olah. The encyclical aims to become a benchmark, urging accountability and transparency.

Pope Leo XIV, the first American head of the Catholic Church, connects his leadership with U.S. Catholics. His encyclical aligns Catholic social teachings with digital age issues.

In denouncing AI’s role in normalizing war, Leo called for clear decision-making processes. He referenced the outdated nature of the Church’s “just war” theory due to technological changes.

On May 15, Leo signed the encyclical on the anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum. This historical document addressed workers’ rights during the Industrial Revolution, setting a precedent for modern Catholic social thought. Magnifica Humanitas continues this tradition.

Leo condemned the economic focus on profit over human dignity and issued an apology for the Church’s historical role in slavery. His approach includes long-term dialogue with tech firms, emphasizing integrity and dialogue rather than endorsement.

WATCH: Anthropic’s new AI model sparks debate over risks.

Winfield reported from Middletown, Connecticut, and Houmani from Los Angeles. Associated Press contributors, including Kelvin Chan in London and Colleen Barry in Milan, supported the report.