Pope Leo XIV Warns Silicon Valley Against Controlling Humanity Through AI And Algorithms
Pope Leo XIV Warns Silicon Valley Against Controlling Humanity Through AI And Algorithms
Publish Date: 2026-05-26 09:57:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com
- Pope Leo XIV emphasized the need for global cooperation and public accountability to regulate data, algorithms, and digital platforms, asserting that these should not be controlled by a small group of powerful actors.
- He highlighted the necessity of protecting vulnerable groups, combating misinformation, and ensuring that technology serves human dignity and the common good rather than profit.
- The pope argued that algorithms, data, and digital infrastructure should be treated as modern forms of property requiring wider access and oversight to prevent economic inequality.
- He warned that concentrated control over technology and knowledge could deepen the divide between those who benefit from the digital revolution and those who are left behind.
- Pope Leo XIV’s call for a just digital society was framed in a broader social context, using the principle that technology should not lead to domination, exclusion, or death.
- His newly released encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” makes a significant religious intervention in the AI debate, positioning the Catholic Church as a moral force against the dominance of Silicon Valley.
- Shortly before the release of the encyclical, Pope Leo XIV issued a historic apology for the Vatican’s role in legitimizing slavery, noting its failure to condemn the centuries-long practice.
