The dueling A.I. apocalypses—and what Pope Leo has to say about both
The dueling A.I. apocalypses—and what Pope Leo has to say about both
Publish Date: 2026-05-29 10:46:00
Source Domain: www.americamagazine.org
Here’s an unordered list summarizing the key points from the article:
– The article discusses various interpretations of the term “apocalypse,” noting that secular culture often dismisses religious prophecies while also embracing fantastical futures like Elon Musk’s Mars colonization and Bryan Johnson’s immortality ambitions.
– The article focuses on artificial intelligence (A.I.) apocalypses, distinguishing between boosters who glorify A.I. and potential utopian changes it could bring, and doomers who foresee catastrophic scenarios like A.I.-induced extinction.
– Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” critiques both A.I. booster and doomer visions, emphasizing that while the desire for a fuller life is genuine, it’s often misled by the over-promising technology can deliver.
– Pope Leo points out that the apocalyptic narratives of A.I. boosters and doomers are distracting from current human sufferings and actual problems caused by A.I., such as discrimination, carbon emissions, and layoffs.
– The Pope contrasts these A.I.-related apocalypses with secularized apocalypses from history, including the Industrial Revolution’s promises and threats, which were ultimately critiqued by Pope Leo’s predecessor in “Rerum Novarum.”
– Pope Leo’s own concept of apocalypse is very different. It’s more about daily actions that reflect love and humanity, countering dehumanizing trends, and it’s grounded in the constant small acts of fidelity in our everyday lives.
– According to Pope Leo, the real apocalypse isn’t some futuristic event but the continuous, small revelations unfolding right in our immediate surroundings and personal interactions.
– The encyclical emphasizes themes of repair and collaboration, drawing on biblical stories of Babel (a failed attempt at grand construction reaching heaven) and Nehemiah’s Jerusalem (repair and rebuilding what already exists), which serves as a cautionary tale against being mesmerized by grand promises or fears of future changes while neglecting present realities.
