Pope Leo XIV's 'Magnifica Humanitas' calls for ethical AI framework protecting human dignity

Pope Leo XIV issued his first major papal encyclical, 'Magnifica Humanitas,' on May 25, 2026, addressing the rapid integration of artificial intelligence across society. The 42,000-word document frames AI as a profound challenge to human dignity, comparing the current era to the Tower of Babel—warning against what he calls 'the idolatry of profit that sacrifices the weak.' The encyclical covers AI-powered warfare, labor displacement, children's exposure to AI, and algorithmic decision-making in hiring and services. Pope Leo calls for 'prudence, rigorous evaluation, and even a slower pace in adopting AI' as an exercise of responsible care for humanity.

The document proposes specific safeguards: social criteria for introducing automation with worker retraining protections, human oversight for lethal force decisions, and transparency requirements for algorithmic systems. Notably, the encyclical does not explicitly mention artificial general intelligence (AGI), despite some attempts to 'AGI-pill' the pope. Tech companies including Amazon, Meta, Google, and Anthropic (whose co-founder Christopher Olah attended the presentation) engaged with Vatican officials beforehand to influence the church's stance. The overarching theme is 'disarming' AI—not rejecting it, but preventing it from dominating humanity economically, militarily, or socially.