Pope Leo XIV issued his first encyclical on Monday, demanding strict regulation of artificial intelligence and an end to lethal autonomous weapons. The document, titled “Magnifica Humanitas,” warns that AI is accelerating the “normalization of war” and entrenching a “culture of power” that serves profit over people. “Artificial Intelligence now demands to be disarmed,” the pope said at a Vatican launch event, setting up a direct clash with the Trump administration’s aggressive deregulation push.
The encyclical’s release marks the culmination of a decade-long Vatican effort to engage Silicon Valley on the human costs of AI. Global News Canada reported that the launch included remarks from Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, an AI firm currently suing the Trump administration over military access to its technology. The Vatican’s decision to involve Anthropic drew criticism from some who saw it as an endorsement, but Brian Boyd of the Future of Life Institute likened it to a papal audience with a head of state: “not an endorsement” but a recognition of the company’s power and willingness to talk.
Leo’s text repeatedly blasts the concentration of data and decision-making in a few private companies. “It is not enough to invoke ethics in the abstract; robust legal frameworks, independent oversight, informed users and a political system that does not abdicate its responsibility are required,” he wrote. The math-major pope traced Catholic social teaching from Leo XIII’s “Rerum Novarum” on workers’ rights to today’s digital revolution, arguing that AI poses the same existential questions the Industrial Revolution did 135 years ago. Taylor Black, a Microsoft AI executive and director of Catholic University’s AI institute, told Global News Canada the document will resonate with tech workers questioning their own humanity. “It lends itself to people who are at the forefront of these tools… to have questions about their own ‘What does it mean to be human?’” he said.
Paolo Carozza, a Notre Dame law professor and Meta oversight board chair, called it “a defining document for our era.”
The strongest sections denounce AI’s role in warfare. Leo declared the Church’s “just war” theory outdated given technological advances. He demanded full transparency in the chain of command for AI-driven strikes, insisting it is “not permissible” to entrust irreversible, lethal decisions to machines.
The pope did not name specific conflicts but cited “opposing imperialisms” vying for supremacy. His words land as the U.S. military expands AI integration and the Trump administration has worked aggressively to deregulate the sector. Anthropic and OpenAI are now the second- and third-most valuable U.S. private companies, each worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
Olah welcomed the pope’s criticism. “We need more of the world — religious communities, civil society, scholars, governments — to do what His Holiness has done here: to take this seriously, to look closely, and to push events in a better direction,” he said. “We need informed critics who will tell the labs when we are failing.”
The encyclical also issued the first-ever papal apology for the Holy See’s historical role in legitimizing slavery, extending Leo’s concern for human dignity to past wrongs. Vatican officials declined to say who contributed to the text, but church engagement with tech firms dates back to Pope Francis, who spoke out increasingly about AI risks late in his pontificate. Why It Matters: Leo’s encyclical provides a moral and intellectual framework that could shape global AI regulation, especially in Europe and Latin America where Catholic social teaching holds sway.
By condemning autonomous weapons and calling for external oversight of private AI labs, the pope directly challenges the deregulatory stance of the Trump administration and the business models of the world’s most valuable startups. For ordinary families, the document raises the stakes on whether AI will replace jobs or be harnessed for the common good. The economic toll extends beyond philosophy.
AI competitors are racing to deploy systems that could displace millions of workers. Leo warned that “the pursuit of greater profits cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs.” His words echo labor fears from the Industrial Revolution, when his namesake Leo XIII first articulated the Church’s teaching on workers’ rights. Now, as then, the question is whether governments will step in.
Behind the diplomatic language lies a clear political target. The Trump administration has rolled back AI safety requirements and pushed for unrestricted military use of the technology. Anthropic’s lawsuit against the government stems from its refusal to allow the U.S. military unfettered access.
By giving Olah a platform, the Vatican signaled alignment with those demanding limits. Boyd noted that Anthropic has “demonstrated genuine goodwill and integrity and interest in dialogue,” but remains an “enormous corporation” taking on “enormous risk and responsibility.”
The encyclical’s release on May 15 — the 135th anniversary of “Rerum Novarum” — was deliberate. That document became the bedrock of modern Catholic social thought. Leo XIV is betting his “Magnifica Humanitas” will do the same for the AI age.
The text calls on developers to slow down and reflect, to choose the betterment of humanity over profit. It asks political leaders to reclaim their regulatory responsibility. Key Takeaways: - Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical demands robust legal frameworks and independent oversight for AI, condemning the concentration of power in a few private firms. - The document declares autonomous lethal weapons “not permissible” and says the Church’s “just war” theory is outdated. - The Vatican involved Anthropic’s co-founder in the launch, highlighting a rift with the Trump administration over military AI use. - The encyclical ties AI to the Church’s century-old social teaching on workers’ rights, warning that profit cannot justify mass job destruction.
What comes next is a test of the Vatican’s soft power. The encyclical will be studied in seminaries and cited by Catholic policymakers worldwide. Its immediate impact may be felt in Europe, where AI Act debates continue, and in Latin America, where the Church remains a potent political force.
In Washington, the document is likely to deepen the divide between the White House and faith leaders who see AI as a moral emergency. Watch for whether tech CEOs — many of whom have sought papal audiences — adjust their public pledges on safety and job displacement. The pope has drawn a line.
Now the world’s developers and regulators must decide whether to cross it.
Key Takeaways
— Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical demands robust legal frameworks and independent oversight for AI, condemning the concentration of power in a few private firms.
— The document declares autonomous lethal weapons 'not permissible' and says the Church's 'just war' theory is outdated.
— The Vatican involved Anthropic's co-founder in the launch, highlighting a rift with the Trump administration over military AI use.
— The encyclical ties AI to the Church's century-old social teaching on workers' rights, warning that profit cannot justify mass job destruction.
Source: Global News Canada
