Pope Leo XIV has issued a major intervention on artificial intelligence, warning that the technology could undermine what it means to be human. The 40,000-word document, titled 'Magnifica Humanitas' (Magnificent Humanity), cautions that AI poses risks to democracy, wellbeing, and the future of human life.
The encyclical follows a tradition of papal documents addressing societal challenges. In 1891, Pope Leo XIII's 'Rerum Novarum' called for better working conditions during the Industrial Revolution. In 1963, Pope John XXIII's 'Pacem in Terris' appealed for nuclear disarmament amid the Cold War. In 2015, Pope Francis's 'Laudato Si' urged action on climate change. Now, Pope Leo XIV, a former mathematician, has released his own manifesto with a range of warnings about AI's potentially destructive nature.
Democracy
The Pope writes that disinformation "found a powerful amplifier" through AI's ability to "manipulate content, images and videos," exposing people to "biased or misleading perspectives." He argues that democracy is weakened when pragmatism—"what appears useful effective"—substitutes for truth. "Indifference to the truth leads, slowly but surely, to a descent to totalitarianism," Leo states.
Social Media
Leo asserts that those controlling digital platforms hold power that "should be constantly guided by the pursuit of truth or respect for human dignity." The internet should foster "inner freedom and critical thought," not serve as "an instrument of excessive distraction, homogenization or dominance." Communication, he notes, not only transmits information but creates culture.
Labour
The workplace must be governed by "the protection of employment opportunities and the irreplaceable role of the individual," Leo writes. He warns that "the pursuit of greater profits cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs, because the human person is an end, not a means." Governments should foster conditions favouring employment, "since it is a primary good for families and for societies."
War
AI "can only bring conflict about more quickly and render it more impersonal," Leo argues. He calls for concrete criteria in strike decisions, including identifiable chains of responsibility for designers, trainers, authorisers, and users of technology. Target selection must distinguish combatants from non-combatants and consider impacts on defenseless populations. Lethal force cannot be automated. Leo urges a shared international framework "to curb the technological arms race and ensure robust protection for civilians."
Economy
The Pope notes that global wealth "is increasingly concentrated in fewer hands, widening inequalities." In the age of AI and robotics, reliance solely on the "invisible hand" of the market is insufficient. Politicians must orient policies toward "the common good" and promote "dignified work, social inclusion and an equitable distribution of the benefits of innovation."
Human Trafficking
Leo highlights the role of digital networks—online platforms, messaging systems, anonymous payment methods—in human trafficking, calling it "a contemporary form of slavery." Failing to respond or tolerating such practices risks complicity in "today's sins, which are akin to those of the past when slavery was being concealed and justified."
Environment
The encyclical addresses the environmental costs of data centres powering AI models, which consume "enormous amounts of energy and water, significantly influencing carbon dioxide emissions." As demand grows, particularly for large language models, Leo calls for more sustainable technological solutions.
Youth Impact
Leo urges an alliance among policymakers, educational institutions, and families to navigate the "culture of immediacy and hyperstimulation" created by digital media. He warns that AI amplifies the danger of predation on young people and advises against personal mobile devices at too young an age. "Online phenomena such as grooming, blackmail and the sexual exploitation of minors are not uncommon, and are made more insidious by the use of fake profiles, algorithms that facilitate dangerous contact, and AI tools capable of manipulating images and videos," the Pope writes.
