Pope Leo XIV has used his first encyclical to issue a powerful warning about the dangers of artificial intelligence, cautioning that rapid technological growth must never undermine human dignity, peace or freedom.
In the document titled Magnifica humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence, the pontiff describes AI as one of the greatest moral and social challenges facing the modern world.
According to Vatican News, the encyclical explores growing concerns surrounding surveillance, digital manipulation, warfare, inequality and the future of work in an increasingly automated world.
The five-chapter document builds on the Catholic Church’s long-standing social teachings while addressing the ethical risks posed by emerging technologies.
While acknowledging the benefits of innovation, Pope Leo insists that artificial intelligence is never truly neutral because it reflects the intentions, values and interests of the people who design and control it.
“Technology is never neutral,” the Pope states in the encyclical, warning that unchecked digital systems could reduce human beings into tools of productivity, profit and control.
A major focus of the document is the defence of human dignity, which the Pope says cannot be measured by economic success, efficiency or social status.
He strongly criticises economic systems and ideologies that treat people as expendable resources instead of recognising the inherent value of every human life from conception to natural death.
The encyclical also advocates for the protection of minorities and women, urging societies to promote greater inclusion in education, politics and employment opportunities.
Pope Leo further condemns attempts to dominate or erase nations, calling any effort to subjugate another people “gravely immoral and therefore unacceptable.”
On artificial intelligence specifically, the Pope calls for stronger global regulations, ethical oversight and international accountability regarding how AI systems are developed and used.
He warns that decisions involving morality, justice and governance should never be controlled by a small group of powerful corporations or political actors managing digital technologies.
According to Vatican News, the pontiff argues that AI systems lack conscience, empathy and spiritual understanding despite becoming increasingly advanced.
“A more moral AI is not enough if that morality is determined by a few,” he says.
The Pope also highlights the environmental impact of advanced technologies, noting that many AI systems require enormous amounts of energy and water to operate.
One of the strongest sections of the encyclical focuses on warfare and AI-powered weapons.
Pope Leo criticises the growing global arms race and warns that artificial intelligence risks making war appear more distant, impersonal and easier to justify.
“There is no algorithm that can make war morally acceptable,” the Pope says, according to Vatican News.
He argues that automated warfare lowers the moral barrier to violence by transforming human lives into data points and distancing individuals from responsibility for killing.
The encyclical additionally calls on world leaders to move beyond traditional “just war” theories and instead prioritise diplomacy, forgiveness and peaceful dialogue.
Pope Leo also raises alarm over online surveillance, digital profiling and disinformation, warning that many online systems are increasingly designed to manipulate behaviour and exploit human weaknesses.
He describes behavioural prediction and profiling as “a new form of power” capable of discriminating against vulnerable communities while threatening personal freedoms.
The future of work is another major issue addressed in the document.
The Pope warns that workers should not be forced to adapt entirely to machines in pursuit of profit and efficiency.
Instead, he argues that technology should support human labour, improve wellbeing and reduce inequality rather than create unemployment and deepen social divisions.
The encyclical also addresses migration and refugee issues, describing displaced people as a “litmus test” for justice and humanity.
Pope Leo urges countries to establish humane and lawful systems for migrants while protecting vulnerable populations fleeing war, poverty and persecution.
At the same time, the pontiff calls on the Catholic Church to confront abuse and failures of accountability within its own institutions.
According to Vatican News, he says the Church must continue listening to victims of spiritual, sexual, institutional and economic abuse while pursuing transparency and justice.
The document concludes with a broader appeal for humanity to reject what Pope Leo calls a “culture of power” and instead build a “civilisation of love” founded on peace, solidarity and truth.
Even in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, the Pope insists humanity must not abandon its moral compass.
“Even in the age of AI, we may bear witness to the grandeur of humanity, in which God has made His dwelling,” the Pope concludes.