Leo XIV's first encyclical, a 'timely' document on AI, but 'a lost battle'

Pope Leo XIV's inaugural encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas," has been hailed as a "perfect" and "timely" document addressing the profound implications of artificial intelligence on human dignity. Luigi Ricci, a systems analyst and author who has long studied the intersection of technology and power, views the encyclical as a crucial intervention in an era defined by rapid digital transformation.

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Magnifica Humanitas is a perfect document and, above all, timely.

Ricci, whose latest book "Vaticano Zero Day" warns of the Vatican becoming a target in a digital conflict landscape, believes "Magnifica Humanitas" is a significant statement. While the Pope calls for the "disarmament" and regulation of AI, Ricci expresses skepticism about the feasibility of controlling its exponential growth and the immense influence of a few dominant tech corporations. He characterizes the effort as potentially "a lost battle."

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the acceleration of the digital revolution and the power of that handful of companies that manage it is so immense that, from his point of view, it is 'a lost battle'.

Unlike earlier papal documents that addressed major societal shifts retrospectively, such as the Industrial Revolution or the environmental crisis, "Magnifica Humanitas" arrives at a critical juncture. Ricci points out that the European Union has yet to finalize its AI Act, partly due to the lobbying efforts of powerful tech interests. The Vatican's encyclical, issued without commercial stakes, aims to defend humanity, not just the faithful, by advocating for regulation.

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AI is no longer an instrument: it is an environment, a battlefield and the Church says it loud and clear.

However, Ricci questions whether states, tasked with implementing such regulations, will act decisively. He notes that the day after the encyclical's publication, there was little movement toward the Pope's requested actions. The encyclical's release, while lauded for its timeliness, highlights the complex challenge of aligning technological advancement with ethical and humanistic principles in a world grappling with digital warfare and evolving international law.

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But I doubt that the states, which are the ones called upon to set the rules, will take action... The Church issued an encyclical, but the day after its publication, no one moved in the requested direction.