Pope Leo will publish first encyclical, ‘Magnifica Humanitas,’ on preserving humanity in the A.I. age on May 25

Pope Leo will publish first encyclical, ‘Magnifica Humanitas,’ on preserving humanity in the A.I. age on May 25

https://www.americamagazine.org/vatican-dispatch/2026/05/18/pope-leo-encyclical-artifical-intelligence-anthropic/

Publish Date: 2026-05-18 12:35:00

Source Domain: www.americamagazine.org

• Pope Leo XIV signed his first encyclical on May 15, which focuses on the protection of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence.
• The encyclical is titled “Magnifica Humanitas” and will be presented in Vatican City on May 25, with Pope Leo XIV taking an active role in the presentation.
• The Vatican has invited Christopher Olah, co-founder of the A.I. company Anthropic, whose interests may come into conflict with the Trump administration’s policies on military use of A.I.
• The encyclical will also be presented by three cardinals and two female theologians, all of whom have backgrounds in ethics, human development, and political theology.
• Pope Leo XIV emphasized the need to monitor the development and application of artificial intelligence, especially in military contexts, to prevent the abuse of this technology and the exacerbation of conflicts.