Pope Leo XIV on Monday, May 25, presented his first encyclical titled "Magnifica humanitas: On the defense of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence". In it, the pontiff called to "disarm" AI to protect humanity from the risks associated with this technology, writes Deutsche Welle.
Pope Leo XIV. Photo: Simone Risoluti / Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images
"To disarm" means not to reject technologies, but to prevent their dominance over humanity," the Pope explained his position.
In his programmatic address to the Catholic Church, Leo XIV also called for artificial intelligence to be freed from the monopolistic control of "only a few transnational corporations" and warned against using this technology for geopolitical or commercial gain.
"Small, but extremely influential groups are capable of controlling information flows and consumer behavior, dictating the course of democratic processes and influencing economic dynamics," the pontiff noted.
Therefore, according to him,
"it is extremely important that the implementation of AI — especially in areas concerning the common good and fundamental rights — is accompanied by clear criteria and effective protective mechanisms."
The Pope proposed developing an "ethical code" for AI, based on criteria of general social justice, and also ensuring the regulation of user data processing.
However, he stressed, these measures will be useless "if moral frameworks are defined only by the chosen few."
Observers interpreted this statement as criticism of American technology billionaires.
In his encyclical, the Pope also sharply criticized the "culture of force" that normalizes war and encourages rearmament. He called for overcoming the theory of "just war" — a doctrine that has been used to justify global conflicts. Military force can only be applied for "self-defense in the strictest sense," the pontiff is convinced.
Leo XIV also warned against the use of AI-based weapons.
"No algorithm is capable of making war morally acceptable," he emphasized.
Comments