Pope Leo XIV issued a sweeping call Monday for robust regulation of artificial intelligence and urged developers to prioritize the common good over profit, warning that unchecked technology threatens workers, children, and the most vulnerable populations worldwide. His first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas" (Magnificent Humanity), released yesterday, addresses what history's first U.S.-born pope has called the biggest challenge facing humanity today.
In the document, Leo declared that the "culture of power" driving the AI race is especially visible in increasingly sophisticated remote warfare methods, stating it is "not permissible" to entrust irreversible, lethal decisions to AI systems. At a special Vatican presentation, he said "Artificial Intelligence now demands to be disarmed, freed from logics that turn it into an instrument of domination, exclusion and death."
Concentration of Power Threatens Vulnerable
Leo repeatedly condemned the concentration of power and data in the hands of a few private sector actors as a particular danger to children and vulnerable populations. He wrote that "It is not enough to invoke ethics in the abstract; robust legal frameworks, independent oversight, informed users and a political system that does not abdicate its responsibility are required." He added, "A more moral AI is not enough if that morality is determined by a few."
The Vatican launch included remarks by Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah, whose company is currently locked in a legal battle with the Trump administration over access to its AI technology. The Vatican decided to involve Anthropic as part of its decade-long effort to engage Silicon Valley in dialogue over the human cost of AI. Olah welcomed Leo's criticism and concern, saying such external checks were fundamental to the technology "going well" for humankind given "a real possibility that AI will displace human labor at a very large scale." He said, "We need more of the world — religious communities, civil society, scholars, governments — to do what His Holiness has done here: to take this seriously, to look closely, and to push events in a better direction. We need moral voices that the incentives cannot bend."
Workers' Rights in the Digital Age
Leo signed the text May 15, the 135th anniversary of the publication of "Rerum Novarum" (Of New Things), the landmark teaching document by Pope Leo XIII that addressed workers' rights, the limits of capitalism, and the obligations states and employers owed workers during the Industrial Revolution. Leo said the current AI revolution poses the same existential questions. He wrote, "The pursuit of greater profits cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs, because the human person is an end, not a means, and the economic order must remain subordinate to human dignity and the common good."
The pope noted that the world's wealth "is increasingly concentrated in fewer hands, widening inequalities." In the age of AI and robotics, he said it is no longer possible to rely solely on the "invisible hand" of the market, urging politicians to orient policies toward "the common good" and to promote "dignified work, social inclusion and an equitable distribution of the benefits of innovation."
Warfare and International Accountability
In some of the strongest chapters, Leo said AI had helped accelerate the "normalization of war" by desensitizing people to its cost. He did not name specific conflicts, but cited "opposing imperialisms, between powers that wish to preserve their supremacy, and those that aspire to seize that supremacy." He demanded transparency and accountability by AI developers so that the chain of decision-making command in ordering strikes with AI weaponry is always known. He declared that the Catholic Church's "just war" theory, which provides specific criteria for when force can be justified, was now "outdated" given the technological advances of warfare. He also called for a shared international framework "to curb the technological arms race and ensure robust protection for civilians."
Protection of Children and Trafficking Victims
Leo underlined the role of digital networks — including online platforms, messaging systems and anonymous payment methods — in human trafficking, which he said "must be recognized as a contemporary form of slavery." He warned that failing to respond to or tolerating these practices risks complicity in "today's sins, which are akin to those of the past when slavery was being concealed and justified."
The pope called for an alliance among policymakers, educational institutions and families to help navigate the "culture of immediacy and hyperstimulation" created by digital media. He highlighted how AI amplifies the danger of predation on young people and warned against having personal mobile devices at too young an age. He wrote, "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."
Environmental Costs
Leo also addressed the environmental costs of the data centers that are generating AI models, saying they consume "enormous amounts of energy and water, significantly influencing carbon dioxide emissions." As demands increase, especially for large language models, he called for the development of more sustainable technological solutions.
Expert Response
Experts in the tech industry, academia and Catholic morality said the document will likely become a benchmark in the debate over AI, a point of reference for policymakers, researchers and ordinary people alike. Paolo Carozza, law professor at Notre Dame Law School and chair of the Meta Oversight Board, said, "I am convinced that this will prove to be a defining document for our era, a profound and prophetic document." He added, "Pope Leo is offering a clear, comprehensive, and coherent voice urging us to take responsibility for constructing a world in which technology will serve humans rather than degrade them."
Taylor Black, a Microsoft AI executive and director of Catholic University of America's AI institute, said the document would prompt people "at the forefront of these tools" to ask questions such as "What does it mean to be human?" Brian Boyd, U.S. faith liaison for the nonprofit Future of Life Institute, said Anthropic's inclusion was recognition of its prominence in the field and similar to a papal audience with a head of state, not an endorsement. He said Anthropic is an "enormous corporation that is taking onto itself an enormous risk and responsibility," and added that the company has "demonstrated genuine goodwill and integrity and interest in dialogue."
Why This Matters:
The encyclical arrives as AI development accelerates with minimal democratic oversight, placing decisions about warfare, employment, and children's safety in the hands of a small number of private corporations. The pope's call for robust legal frameworks and independent oversight addresses the structural imbalance between corporate power and public accountability. His warning about mass labor displacement highlights the need for policies that ensure technological benefits are distributed equitably rather than concentrated among shareholders. The document's emphasis on protecting children from AI-enabled exploitation and its recognition of digital networks' role in modern slavery underscores how emerging technologies can amplify existing injustices without adequate regulation. By drawing parallels to the Industrial Revolution, Leo frames AI regulation as a question of fundamental workers' rights and human dignity, challenging policymakers to prioritize the common good over market forces and corporate profit.