Pope Leo XIV Releases Landmark Encyclical on Artificial Intelligence, Warns of “New Tower of Babel”
Pope Leo XIV has released his first major encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”), a sweeping 235-page Vatican document focused entirely on the ethical, political, and spiritual dangers posed by artificial intelligence. The historic publication marks the first time a pope has made AI the central subject of an encyclical, signaling the Vatican’s growing determination to shape the global debate over emerging technologies.
The encyclical, officially subtitled “On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence,” warns that humanity faces a defining moral crossroads comparable to the Industrial Revolution addressed by Pope Leo XIII in his landmark 1891 social teaching Rerum Novarum. Pope Leo XIV deliberately signed the new document on the 135th anniversary of that earlier encyclical, drawing a symbolic parallel between the exploitation of industrial workers in the 19th century and the risks posed by unregulated AI in the 21st century.
At the heart of the encyclical is a dramatic call to “disarm artificial intelligence.” Pope Leo argues that AI systems must never become instruments of domination, surveillance, manipulation, exclusion, or warfare. He warns that unchecked technological power could create what he describes as a “new Tower of Babel,” where humanity becomes fragmented, morally disoriented, and controlled by systems built without accountability or human dignity at their core.
The Vatican document strongly criticizes the concentration of AI power among a small number of governments and private technology corporations, warning that algorithms increasingly influence employment, healthcare, education, security, public opinion, and even human relationships. Pope Leo writes that technology is never morally neutral because it reflects the values, biases, and ambitions of its creators.
One of the most controversial sections addresses autonomous weapons and AI-driven warfare. The Pope warns that machines capable of selecting and attacking targets without meaningful human control represent a grave threat to civilization. He argues that delegating life-and-death decisions to algorithms undermines the very concept of human moral responsibility. Analysts say the language places the Vatican among the strongest global critics of military AI systems.
The encyclical also raises alarm about mass automation and economic displacement. Pope Leo cautions that replacing workers purely for profit could trigger a “social calamity,” widening inequality and weakening social stability. While acknowledging that AI can improve productivity and safety, the document insists that human labor must remain tied to dignity, creativity, and participation in society rather than being reduced to disposable economic efficiency.
Another major theme involves children, education, and psychological manipulation. The Pope warns that AI systems capable of imitating human emotions, faces, voices, and relationships may distort authentic human connection, especially among younger generations immersed in digital ecosystems. He criticizes algorithmic systems designed to maximize addiction, outrage, or emotional dependency for commercial gain.
In an unusual move, the Vatican invited leading AI researchers and technology figures to participate in the presentation of the encyclical, including Chris Olah, co-founder of Anthropic. The collaboration reflected Pope Leo’s attempt to engage directly with the technology sector rather than simply condemn it from outside.
The release of Magnifica Humanitas is already being described by commentators as one of the most significant global ethical interventions in the AI era. Technology experts, policymakers, and religious leaders are expected to debate its proposals intensely in the coming months, especially as governments worldwide struggle to regulate increasingly powerful AI systems.
