Pope Leo XIV issues first encyclical, warns against AI weaponization and 'new slavery'

Pope Leo XIV has issued his first major teaching document, an encyclical titled "Magnifica Humanitas" (Magnificent Humanity), addressing the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). In this landmark text, signed on May 15th, the 135th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII's "Rerum Novarum" encyclical, the pontiff warns against the use of AI in warfare, stating that delegating lethal decisions to technology is unacceptable. He declared the "just war" theory outdated, asserting that "no algorithm can make war morally acceptable."

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no algorithm can make war morally acceptable.

The encyclical cautions that the pursuit of AI superiority, driven by geopolitical or commercial ambitions, must not lead to the "control of humanity." Instead, Pope Leo XIV advocates for AI to be "friendly to humanity," accessible for use, discussion, and debate. He also raised concerns about AI potentially creating "new forms of slavery," emphasizing that efficiency or innovation cannot justify hidden exploitation. The Pope further highlighted the need to mitigate AI's environmental impact and protect the planet.

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AI should be friendly to humanity, accessible for use, and subject to discussion and debate.

This encyclical places AI ethics at the core of Pope Leo XIV's papacy, following the Vatican's years of research on the topic, including the 2020 "Rome Appeal for an AI Ethic." Experts anticipate "Magnifica Humanitas" could have an impact similar to Pope Francis's 2015 encyclical on climate change, "Laudato Si'." The document was personally delivered by the Pope at the Vatican, with AI experts, including a co-founder of the US AI company Anthropic, in attendance.

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in the AI world, nothing is immaterial or magical.