VATICAL— Artificial intelligence is moving fast — perhaps faster than governments, institutions and even societies can fully understand it. Now the Catholic Church is preparing to enter that debate in a major way, with Pope Leo XIV expected to unveil a closely watched AI manifesto that could shape conversations far beyond the Vatican.
The US-born pontiff on Monday is set to personally attend the launch of Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), making it the first time a pope has directly taken part in presenting an encyclical — one of the Church’s most influential teaching documents.
The release comes as AI rapidly expands into industries ranging from healthcare and education to warfare and surveillance, raising growing questions about who controls the technology and who ultimately benefits from it.
Pope Leo places AI at the centre of his papacy
Since becoming the Catholic Church’s first US pope a year ago, Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly made artificial intelligence a central issue of his leadership.
He has openly criticised what he calls the growing race to integrate AI into military systems, warning that allowing machines to make decisions involving human life and death could create a “destructive spiral.”
The concerns extend beyond warfare.
Leo has also warned about “the gradual replacement of reality by its simulation,” suggesting that emerging technologies could increasingly blur the line between authentic human experiences and algorithm-generated content.
In April, he warned that AI could be used to fuel “polarisation, conflict, fear, and violence.” Earlier in January, he also criticised the lack of transparency behind algorithms that increasingly shape how people receive information online.
A debate far bigger than technology
The Vatican sees Magnifica Humanitas as an extension of longstanding Church teachings on social justice and protecting human dignity.
The document was signed on May 15, marking the 135th anniversary of an 1891 encyclical by Pope Leo XIII that laid the foundations of Catholic social doctrine during the Industrial Revolution.
For many observers, the symbolism is difficult to miss.
Just as industrialisation reshaped economies and labour markets more than a century ago, AI is now creating another major technological shift.
Marijana Grbesa, a political science professor at the University of Zagreb and speaker at a Vatican AI conference, said societies are facing a similar challenge today.
“The Industrial Revolution transformed the labour market, people’s lives, hegemony, and power dynamics,” she told AFP.
“At the time, it was necessary to train individuals in the use of tools. The same is true today: we need to train and educate.”
But she argued that education alone may not be enough, describing the moment as “a wake-up call for the whole of civilisation” to ensure technology is used rationally.
Global concerns over AI continue to grow
The timing of the Vatican document also comes as concerns over AI development intensify worldwide.
According to the United Nations, AI could be worth as much as $4.8 trillion by 2033 — roughly a 25-fold increase within a decade — although concerns remain that much of the economic benefit could become concentrated among a relatively small number of players.
Last year, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that “the window is closing to shape AI — for peace, for justice, for humanity.”
The Vatican has been laying groundwork on AI for several years. In 2020, the Holy See introduced the Rome Appeal for an AI Ethic, calling for technological advances that respect human dignity and social responsibility.
Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, also repeatedly urged governments and institutions to regulate artificial intelligence and warned it could deepen global inequalities.
As Magnifica Humanitas enters public discussion, the document may test whether religious institutions can still influence debates surrounding rapidly evolving technology. What happens next could extend beyond theology and into boardrooms, governments and policy discussions worldwide.
