Pope Leo XIV Calls for AI Disarmament in First Encyclical in Rome

Pope Leo XIV, with the co-founder of Anthropic at his side in Rome, released his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnificent Humanity”), calling for AI to be “disarmed” in service of the common good.

“Home News Business Energy Opinion Lifestyle Sports Video Podcast Home News Business Energy Opinion Lifestyle Sports Video Podcast Close the sidebar Home News World News Copies of “Magnifica humanitas,” Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, focused on the rise of artificial intelligence, following its presentation, at the Vatican, on May 25, 2026”

Al Arabiya English

In the encyclical, Pope Leo XIV said, “The word is strong,” and chose “disarmament” because “this moment needs words capable of attracting attention, awakening consciences, and indicating paths forward for humanity.”

Al Jazeera

Ars Technica says the 40,000-word encyclical contains “uncompromising critiques” of AI-powered autonomous weapons, neo-colonial attitudes towards data collection, and the hoarding of “new forms of property, such as patents, algorithms, digital platforms, technological infrastructure, and data.”

The Conversation reports Pope Leo XIV presented the encyclical at the Vatican on May 25 and declared, “Artificial intelligence needs to be disarmed.”

The Conversation adds that Leo signed the encyclical on May 15, the anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical called “Rerum Novarum” (“New Things”).

The encyclical frames AI as a moral and political problem rather than neutral technology, with Plataforma Media saying it warns that innovations can “amplify inequalities, control, and exclusion.”

Plataforma Media also reports the pope argued that AI systems can deceive by “presenting themselves as neutral and objective,” while reflecting and reinforcing the stereotypes of those who designed them.

America Magazine

In the Conversation, Pope Leo XIV wrote, “To disarm does not mean rejecting technology, but preventing it from dominating humanity.”

Cebu Daily News quotes the pope telling a special Vatican presentation that “Artificial Intelligence now demands to be disarmed, freed from logics that turn it into an instrument of domination, exclusion and death,” and says the text calls for robust regulation and common-good work.

Cebu Daily News also includes remarks from Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah, who said, “We need moral voices that the incentives cannot bend.”

AP’s Cebu Daily News reports that Pope Leo XIV denounced the “culture of power” driving the AI race, especially in developing “ever more sophisticated methods of remote warfare,” and declared it was “not permissible” to entrust irreversible, lethal decisions to AI systems.

Cebu Daily News says the Vatican launch included a warning that “It is not enough to invoke ethics in the abstract; robust legal frameworks, independent oversight, informed users and a political system that does not abdicate its responsibility are required,” and adds that “A more moral AI is not enough if that morality is determined by a few.”

Ars Technica says Leo’s encyclical updates Catholic social teaching and calls on everyone to “build,” extending beyond code or startups to a “civilization of love” where technology does not dominate, exclude, or bypass humanity.

Al Arabiya English reports that Reuters quoted John Thavis saying Leo wants to “help shape the debate over technology and AI,” emphasizing “the moral and ethical arguments that center the human person.”

Al Arabiya English also says Leo formally signed the text on May 15, the 135th anniversary of “Rerum Novarum,” and that the encyclical is available on the Vatican website and distributed as a booklet for reading and discussion.