In his first major papal encyclical, Pope Leo called for artificial intelligence to be “disarmed” to prevent digital exploitation and autonomous warfare, while simultaneously issuing a historic Vatican apology for the Church’s past role in slavery.
Pope Leo has issued the first major teaching document of his papacy, warning that advanced artificial intelligence needs to be urgently “disarmed” to prevent the rise of “new digital slaveries.” Unusually, the pontiff presented the encyclical, titled Magnifica Humanitas, himself at the Vatican alongside top tech experts.
The comprehensive document draws strong moral parallels between the historical tragedy of traditional slavery—for which the Pope issued a profound Vatican apology—and the modern exploitation found in AI development. Furthermore, the Pope heavily condemned the integration of autonomous algorithms in warfare, cautioning that a reliance on technology strips away the moral accountability of conflict.
Directly addressing the creators of these systems, the Pope emphasized the heavy burden of their work, writing: “Developers bear a particular ethical and spiritual responsibility, for every design choice reflects a vision of humanity.”
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