Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has called for artificial intelligence to be placed at the service of humanity and warned against its misuse in war, exclusion and systems of control. Presenting his first social encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, at the Vatican on Monday, the Pope described the rapid rise of artificial intelligence as a historic moment that demands moral responsibility and global cooperation.
The Pope said the world is living through a major technological transformation similar to the Industrial Revolution faced by Pope Leo XIII in the 19th century. He compared his new encyclical to the landmark document Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers’ rights and social justice during a time of massive industrial change. According to Pope Leo XIV, today’s challenges are centred on technology and the growing influence of artificial intelligence in everyday life.
Speaking to scientists, educators, political leaders and members of the public gathered in the Synod Hall, the Pope said artificial intelligence is already shaping important decisions related to healthcare, employment, security and even warfare. He expressed concern over the development of autonomous weapons systems and the use of unfair or biased algorithms that can deny people opportunities and basic services.
The Pope said these concerns led him to one clear conclusion in the encyclical that artificial intelligence “needs to be disarmed.” He explained that the phrase was intentionally strong because the present situation requires urgent attention and deeper reflection from society. He stressed that technology should never become an instrument of domination, exclusion or death.
Drawing a comparison with the Church’s long standing support for nuclear disarmament, Pope Leo XIV said every powerful technology must be guided by ethics, public accountability and concern for the common good. He warned that peace is at risk when technology weakens human responsibility and moral awareness.
At the same time, the Pope said artificial intelligence also holds the potential to help humanity if it is developed with wisdom and compassion. Reflecting on his missionary experience in Peru after devastating floods in 2017, he recalled how rebuilding communities involved restoring trust, hope and human relationships, not simply repairing buildings. He said this experience taught him that “no one rebuilds alone.”
Using the biblical story of Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, the Pope said the digital age should also become a project of rebuilding human solidarity and communion. He said technological progress must always serve human life and dignity.
Pope Leo XIV strongly defended the value of every human person, saying people should never be reduced to data, productivity or cognitive performance. He insisted that every person carries freedom, conscience and a capacity for love that no machine can replace.
The Pope also called for international cooperation among governments, technology companies, institutions and communities to ensure that the benefits of artificial intelligence are shared fairly and not concentrated in the hands of a privileged few.
Concluding his address, Pope Leo XIV invited believers and non believers alike to become “artisans of hope” and work together for what he described as a more human and fraternal society. He entrusted this mission to the Virgin Mary and prayed for the growth of a “civilisation of love” rooted in justice, peace and respect for human dignity.