Pope Leo XIV Calls for AI Disarmament in 42,300‑Word Encyclical

Context On May 25, the Vatican unveiled *Magnifica Humanitas* (“Magnificent Humanity”), the first major document of Pope Leo XIV’s papacy. The 42,300‑word English text follows a tradition dating back to Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 *Rerum novarum*, which addressed the industrial revolution’s impact on workers. Leo XIV frames AI as the latest technological upheaval threatening employment, social justice, and human dignity.

Key Facts - The pope’s central claim: “Artificial intelligence must be disarmed.” He clarifies that disarmament does not reject technology, but prevents it from dominating humanity. - The encyclical warns that autonomous weapons make war more feasible and less subject to human control, echoing concerns from the nuclear disarmament movement. - Leo XIV urges governments to create regulatory tools that uphold justice and curb the distorting effects of AI power. - The presentation featured Christopher Olah, co‑founder of AI firm Anthropic, marking the first non‑clerical speaker in a papal encyclical event. Olah supported the call for broader social‑justice input into AI governance. - The document builds on Pope Francis’s 2025 doctrinal note *Antiqua et nova*, which urged AI to serve the vulnerable.

What It Means Leo XIV’s appeal translates moral doctrine into a policy agenda: AI development must be constrained by law to protect workers and prevent militarization. By likening AI to nuclear weapons, the pope signals a willingness to join international disarmament dialogues and to pressure tech firms, such as Anthropic, currently entangled in U.S. legal battles over military AI use. The inclusion of a tech billionaire suggests the Vatican seeks partnership with industry insiders to shape ethical standards.

The encyclical’s release coincides with rising global debate over AI regulation, including EU proposals for AI risk assessments and U.S. congressional hearings. Watch for how nation‑states and tech companies respond to the Vatican’s moral framing of AI as a security and social‑justice issue.