Pope Leo XIV Warns of AI Perils

Pope Leo XIV, the first pope from the United States, has voiced significant concerns over artificial intelligence. Leveraging his global influence, he calls for introspection within the tech industry, particularly targeting Silicon Valley’s prominent figures. This marks Leo’s continued challenge to American power structures, adding AI to his earlier critiques of immigration policies and war.

Leo’s encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” or “Magnificent Humanity,” released on Monday, offers the most substantial moral guidance on AI from a religious leader to date. It seeks to infuse Catholic values into the largely secular industry rapidly transforming modern society. “Crucial questions impose themselves on our conscience and can no longer be avoided: Where are we going? Toward what goal do we wish to orient ourselves? What direction should we choose as a people and as a human community?” Leo stated in his document.

In his speech at the Vatican, Leo called for AI to be “disarmed,” drawing parallels to the church’s stance on nuclear disarmament. He stressed the need for AI to be freed from becoming an instrument of domination, exclusion, and death.

The document’s release, presented in the synod hall, featured a branded launch event complete with bright yellow banners and a video introduction produced in collaboration with EWTN, an American Catholic network with global reach.