Pope Leo Warns of AI Risks and Potential to Dominate Humans

Pope Leo XIV has issued his first encyclical, "Magnifica humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence," urging a cautious approach to the rapidly developing field of artificial intelligence.

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AI that is more moral is not enough if that morality is determined by a handful of people.

The pontiff stressed the importance of transparency and accountability throughout AI development. He called for an ethical framework grounded in social justice principles, warning that AI's morality should not be dictated by a select few. "AI that is more moral is not enough if that morality is determined by a handful of people," Pope Leo stated in the encyclical.

Furthermore, Pope Leo advocated for disarming AI of its military, economic, and cognitive competitive mentalities. "Disarmament does not mean rejecting technology, but preventing it from dominating humanity," he explained. He asserted that humanity, in all its glory and vulnerability, must not be replaced or surpassed by technology.

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Disarmament does not mean rejecting technology, but preventing it from dominating humanity.

While acknowledging AI's potential to alleviate human suffering and open new possibilities, the Pope cautioned against the denial of human essence. He specifically warned that AI should not lead to job losses in the name of cost reduction and profit maximization. The encyclical serves as a significant papal intervention on the ethical considerations surrounding artificial intelligence.

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Humanity, in all its glory and vulnerability, must not be replaced or surpassed.