Vatican issues first AI encyclical, calling for 'disarming' of unmitigated technology

Pope Leo XIV has released his first major papal document, an encyclical titled *Magnifica Humanitas*, which establishes a moral and legal framework for artificial intelligence governance. The 42,000-word manifesto warns against the dangers of unmitigated AI, including AI-powered warfare, labour displacement, and the erosion of human dignity. The Pope compared the current technological era to the Tower of Babel, urging society to avoid the "idolatry of profit" and to ensure that human intelligence, conscience, and freedom guide technical innovations.

The document advocates for "disarming" AI in military, economic, and societal contexts, rejecting the notion that technical power confers the right to govern. Pope Leo defined the "Babel syndrome" as "the idolatry of profit that sacrifices the weak, a uniformity that neutralizes differences, and the pretense that a single language — even a digital one — can translate everything, including the mystery of the person, into data and performance." The text calls for "prudence, rigorous evaluation and even, at times, a slower pace in adopting AI" as an exercise of responsible care for the human family.

The encyclical was presented with Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah in attendance, following meetings between Vatican officials and representatives from major tech firms including Amazon, Meta, and Google. Politico reported that some in the tech industry attempted to influence the Church’s positions or "AGI-pill" the Pope, though the text does not explicitly mention artificial general intelligence (AGI). The Pope chose his papal name in reference to the industrial revolution, during which his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, issued an encyclical on protecting workers amid technological advancements.

Central to the previous encyclical was the mandate that humans, not AI, must make all decisions related to weapons. The document sought to address the ethical void in autonomous systems, noting that AI does not undergo experiences, possess a physical body, or feel joy and pain. Consequently, the Pope stressed that these technologies cannot be held accountable for their actions, reinforcing the necessity of human oversight. The letter is an appeal for "moral and social discernment that safeguards the primacy of the human person."

The 200-page document argues that technology governed by a small group cannot serve the common good and calls for effective oversight and an end to the concentration of technological power. It touches on major areas of modern life that AI has become deeply embedded in, such as job loss, AI-powered warfare, and children being exposed to AI tools. Above all, the encyclical calls for the dignity of humans to be a central part of decision-making and governance, ensuring that human conscience determines the use and limits of technical innovations.