The Pope and Artificial Intelligence

Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope, signed his inaugural encyclical, “Magnafica Humanitas,” on May 15th, linking his actions to the historical significance of his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII.
The encyclical focuses on the moral implications of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on human dignity amidst rising technological advances.
A significant moment in the dialogue between faith and technology occurred when Pope Leo XIV stood beside Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, at the presentation of the encyclical.
The global religious community, which remains large and influential, especially in the Global South, is increasingly relevant as it contemplates the ethical concerns around AI.
The encyclical emphasizes that AI reflects human choices and values, advocating for a careful consideration of the human values embedded in AI systems and warning of the potential erosion of natural human intelligence.
The Vatican’s relationship with influential AI companies like Anthropic is described as a complex interplay of moral authority, technological power, geopolitical competition, and strategic restraint.
The Pope’s encyclical urges society to reflect on the kind of humans they want to remain and the type of intelligence—both artificial and natural—they choose to invest in.
The framework SPIRIT provides a practical approach to balancing the use of AI with maintaining human values and self-awareness in a hybrid world.