Pope Leo to publish first major document addressing AI

Pope Leo will release his first in-depth doctrinal document on May 25, with the Vatican saying it is expected to focus on the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and challenges to workers’ rights.

The Vatican announced on May 18 that the text, known as an encyclical, will also likely address global conflicts and what it described as wars “roiling the world.” It will be titled “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity) and was formally signed by the pope on Friday ahead of publication, Reuters reports. 

Leo, the first U.S. pope, is expected to take part in a Vatican presentation of the document on the day of its release, marking a departure from traditional papal practice. Christopher Olah, co-founder of AI company Anthropic, is also expected to attend the event, according to the Vatican.

Encyclicals are considered among the highest forms of papal teaching addressed to the Roman Catholic Church’s 1.4 billion members. Vatican observer John Thavis said: "A pope's first encyclical typically outlines his priorities, focusing on what he sees as serious social and moral issues for the modern world."

A Vatican statement said the document would address “the protection of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence.”

In recent weeks, Pope Leo has spoken forcefully about global political developments and has criticized aspects of the Iran war, comments that reportedly drew a reaction from U.S. President Donald Trump.

The encyclical has been in preparation for several months and is expected to outline broad social concerns, including what officials describe as one of the Church’s most significant modern interventions on labour and workers’ rights in decades.

Leo XIV signed the document on May 15, coinciding with the 135th anniversary of an encyclical by Pope Leo XIII, who called for improved wages and working conditions for labourers in the late 19th century.

The Vatican also noted that Pope Leo, who marked one year in office on May 8, has repeatedly warned about the risks posed by artificial intelligence, including its use in warfare. In a recent speech at Europe’s largest university, he cited conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, referring to what he called “the inhumane evolution of the relationship between war and new technologies in a spiral of annihilation”.

By Sabina Mammadli