Pope Leo XIV First Encyclical on AI and Faith

TL;DR: Pope Leo XIV is set to release his first encyclical, focusing on how artificial intelligence intersects with Catholic teaching. The document will build on his repeated calls for prudent AI use among youth and clergy.

Context Pope Leo XIV entered his second year as leader of the Catholic Church in early 2025. An encyclical is a formal letter that outlines the Church’s stance on doctrine, morality, or social issues, though it is not considered infallible dogma. Throughout his first year, the pope has spoken frequently about AI, warning that the technology should not replace human thought or creativity. TIME magazine named him one of the 2025 most influential people in AI, describing him as a spiritual counterweight to rapid technological change.

Key Facts The upcoming encyclical will examine AI’s role in the Church and the lives of the faithful. In a November 2025 address to the National Catholic Youth Conference, Pope Leo XIV urged students to be prudent, wise, and careful that their use of AI does not limit true human growth, adding that they should still know how to think, create, and act independently if the technology vanished. Dr. Andrew Chesnut, Professor and Bishop Walter Sullivan Chair of Catholic Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, noted that it is impressive for a centuries‑old institution to issue a major encyclical on AI just a few years after chatbots emerged, and he said it fits an American pope addressing largely American‑driven innovation.

What It Means The encyclical is expected to give Catholics a doctrinal framework for evaluating AI tools in pastoral work, education, and daily life. It may influence how parishes adopt technology for homilies, outreach, and administration, while reinforcing the Church’s emphasis on human dignity. Observers will watch for concrete guidelines on AI‑generated content, data privacy, and the ethical limits of automation in religious settings.

What to watch next The Vatican plans to publish the full text in the coming weeks, after which bishops’ conferences and Catholic schools will likely issue implementation guidance.