Pope Leo XIV has presented his first encyclical, an official papal document in which he sets out his vision on the impact of artificial intelligence on humanity. The document, titled *Magnifica Humanitas* (“magnificent humanity” or “magnificent humaneness”), addresses what it means to be human in a time of rapid technological change. It is the first time in history that a pope has been personally present at the presentation of an encyclical.
The subtitle of the document is telling: “on the preservation of humanity in the age of artificial intelligence.” Leo XIV signed the encyclical on 15 May, exactly 135 years after the publication of *Rerum Novarum*, the influential encyclical written by Pope Leo XIII in response to the industrial revolution. The timing makes the historical parallel explicit: just as the industrial revolution transformed society in the late 19th century, artificial intelligence is now having a profound impact on nearly every aspect of human life, from education and healthcare to warfare, information and the way people interact with one another.
Leo XIV chose his papal name deliberately in reference to Leo XIII, who in *Rerum Novarum* rejected both socialism and unchecked capitalism and advocated for better working conditions and the establishment of Catholic trade unions. That document formed the foundation of the social teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. With *Magnifica Humanitas*, Leo XIV aims to initiate a broad societal discussion about a revolution he considers even more far-reaching than that of the 19th century.
A year ago, in his first address to the cardinals following his election, Leo XIV announced his intention to focus on the impact of AI on work, human dignity and social justice. The new encyclical elaborates on that announcement. In earlier speeches, the pope described what he sees as a multilayered crisis facing humanity and stressed the importance of carefully guiding the development and use of AI.
Leo XIV is not the first pope to speak out on artificial intelligence. His predecessor Francis warned at the G7 summit in southern Italy in 2024 about the dangers of AI without regulation and called for an ethical approach to the technology. The Vatican had already begun engaging with the subject six years before the launch of ChatGPT, establishing an extensive dialogue with companies from Silicon Valley, partly at the request of those companies themselves, which anticipated the significant societal impact AI would bring.
Read also
