Pope Leo XIV has used the first theological document of his papacy to address artificial intelligence, urging stronger public oversight while acknowledging the technology’s potential benefits. Released Monday, the 42,300-word encyclical Magnifica Humanitas frames AI as a defining social issue of the present era and calls on governments, companies and citizens to ensure that automation remains accountable to human values.
In the text, Leo says technological progress should not be viewed as inherently hostile to humanity. He writes that innovation can reduce suffering and expand opportunity if developed responsibly. However, he warns that rapid adoption without safeguards could worsen inequality, reduce human agency and place important decisions beyond meaningful democratic control. He calls for prudence, rigorous evaluation and, when necessary, a slower pace in deployment.
The encyclical draws explicit parallels with Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which responded to the Industrial Revolution and helped shape modern Catholic social teaching on labor and economic life. Leo XIV signed his document on May 15, 135 years after Rerum Novarum, reinforcing his comparison between industrialization and today’s AI-driven transformation.
Much of Magnifica Humanitas focuses on labor, misinformation, concentration of corporate power and warfare. Leo warns that automation could displace workers and leave many in “forced inactivity,” while AI-generated content may especially affect children and young people. He also expresses concern that autonomous weapons could make conflict easier to initiate and less subject to human judgment.
Leo argues that AI policy should not be left solely to market forces or private firms. He calls for legal frameworks, independent oversight, informed users and clear accountability for decisions made with AI systems. He also urges debate to limit monopolistic control and let communities question how the technology is used. His message presents AI not as an enemy or cure-all, but as a governance challenge.