Pope Leo and Anthropic to launch first AI encyclical on human dignity

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, is partnering with Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah to release the pope's first encyclical on May 25, 2026. The encyclical—an official papal letter on Catholic teachings—will address the preservation of human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence. The Vatican announced this significant collaboration on Monday, noting that Olah's presence signals the pope's focus on ethical AI governance.

The announcement comes amid escalating tensions between the Vatican and the Trump administration. In February, President Trump ordered all US federal agencies to stop using Anthropic's technology and imposed strict penalties after the company refused to grant the military unrestricted access to its AI systems. Anthropic is currently suing the administration, claiming illegal retaliation. Pope Leo, who has made AI a priority of his papacy, has expressed deep concerns about AI in warfare and consistently called for international monitoring of the technology's use. This encyclical is expected to amplify those calls and could create a new diplomatic flashpoint between the Vatican and Washington.