Pope Leo XIV has called for urgent international regulation of artificial intelligence, warning that unchecked development of the technology could fuel warfare, deepen inequality and threaten human dignity.
In his first major encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas “Magnificent Humanity”, released Monday, the pope urged world leaders to establish “robust legal frameworks” and independent oversight mechanisms for AI systems, particularly those used in military operations.
The 235-page document marks the Vatican’s strongest intervention yet in the global debate over artificial intelligence and positions AI ethics at the center of Leo’s papacy.
The pope warned that modern warfare is entering a dangerous new phase as autonomous systems and AI-driven military technologies become increasingly sophisticated.
“What is happening in Ukraine, in Gaza … describes the inhuman evolution of the relationship between war and new technologies,” Leo said earlier this month during a speech at Sapienza University in Rome.
In the encyclical, Leo cautioned that AI risks pushing conflicts “beyond human control,” while reducing accountability for life-and-death decisions on the battlefield.
He also criticized the growing influence of major technology companies, warning that private firms now wield unprecedented power over information, politics and social behavior.
“Whoever controls AI could impose their moral vision on society,” the document states.
The pope argued that AI must remain subject to human judgment and democratic oversight rather than commercial interests or geopolitical competition. He called for global cooperation to ensure technological progress serves “the common good” instead of intensifying division and conflict.
Leo’s intervention comes as governments worldwide race to expand AI capabilities in defense, cybersecurity and intelligence systems. International organizations and technology experts have repeatedly warned that existing laws are struggling to keep pace with rapid advances in artificial intelligence.
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The pope said AI-powered weapons could lower the threshold for war by distancing political leaders and military operators from the human consequences of violence. He warned that technology should never replace moral responsibility.
“Study, research and investments should go in the opposite direction,” Leo said, calling for efforts that support peace and protect innocent lives.
Beyond warfare, the encyclical raises concerns about misinformation, digital manipulation and economic disruption linked to AI systems.
Leo warned that automation could trigger widespread job losses if governments fail to protect workers and regulate the pace of technological change. He described mass displacement caused by AI as a potential “social calamity.”
The pope also condemned exploitative labour practices tied to the digital economy, including poorly paid workers who help maintain AI infrastructure and content moderation systems.
Technology experts attending the Vatican launch echoed calls for stronger oversight. Christopher Olah, co-founder of AI company Anthropic, said artificial intelligence “must be guided from outside Big Tech,” stressing the need for accountability from governments and civil society.
Leo compared the rapid expansion of AI to the biblical Tower of Babel, warning that humanity risks creating systems it can no longer fully understand or control.
The pope’s focus on technology reflects a broader effort by the Catholic Church to address the ethical consequences of modern innovation. Vatican officials say Leo chose his papal name partly in reference to Pope Leo XIII, whose 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum defended workers’ rights during the Industrial Revolution.
Since becoming pope, Leo has repeatedly warned that artificial intelligence poses what he describes as an “anthropological challenge” capable of reshaping human relationships, labour, and public discourse.
The Vatican said the new encyclical is intended not only for Catholics but for “all people of goodwill,” as international debates intensify over whether legally binding global rules should govern advanced AI systems.
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